ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday gave the go-ahead to Operation “Azm-e-Istehkam,” a reinvigorated and re-energized national counter-terrorism drive, to turn up the heat on militants targeting the state of Pakistan.
This critical decision came to the fore during a meeting of the Central Apex Committee on the National Action Plan (NAP).
According to an official statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the new counter-terrorism push has been approved with the consensus of all stakeholders, including the provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
“The approval of Operation Azm-e-Istehkam symbolizes the national resolve to eradicate all forms of extremism and terrorism from the country,” the release said.
The meeting was attended by the chief ministers of all provinces and GB, service chiefs, chief secretaries of the provinces, and other senior officers from civilian, military, and law enforcement agencies.
“Operation Azm-e-Istehkam will integrate and synergize multiple lines of effort to combat the menaces of extremism and terrorism in a comprehensive and decisive manner,” the PMO press release said.
During the meeting, the premier stressed that the Operation Azm-e-Istahkam would play a crucial role in countering terrorism threats in the country. “Diplomatic efforts will be intensified to root out terrorist organisations,” the PM said.
The forum reiterated that the fight against extremism and terrorism is Pakistan’s own and vowed not to allow anyone to challenge the writ of the state.
In the meeting, measures to ensure foolproof security for Chinese citizens were also reviewed, reflecting the government’s commitment to the safety of foreign nationals in Pakistan.
The session comprehensively reviewed the ongoing counter-terrorism campaign and assessed the internal security situation, the PMO office said.
“The forum reiterated that the fight against extremism and terrorism is Pakistan’s war and is absolutely essential for the nation’s survival and well-being. The forum resolved that no one will be allowed to challenge the writ of the state without any exception,” it was added.
The handout further said that the progress on the multi-domain tenets of the National Action Plan was scrutinised, with particular emphasis on identifying shortcomings in the implementation for addressing the same as a top priority.
The meeting underscored the necessity for a comprehensive and reinvigorated counter-terrorism strategy, founded on complete national consensus and system-wide synergy.
It said in the politico-diplomatic domain, efforts would be intensified to curtail the operational space for terrorists through regional cooperation.
The renewed and full-blown kinetic efforts of the armed forces would be augmented by full support from all law enforcement agencies, it said.
