ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Army on Wednesday vowed to fight against militants “without any distinction,” the military’s media wing said, as the country grapples with a resurgence in militant attacks over the past couple of weeks.
The statement by the military comes after a powerful car bomb detonated in a residential area in Islamabad last week. The Pakistani Taliban have stepped up attacks on security forces since November, when they unilaterally ended a months-long cease-fire with the country’s government.
Earlier this month, Pakistani Taliban detainees at a counterterrorism center in the northwestern town of Bannu overpowered guards, confiscated police weapons and took hostages before Pakistani commandos stormed the compound and retook the facility.
Pakistan’s army chief, General Syed Asim Munir, on Wednesday presided over the 254th Corps Commanders Conference held at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. During the meeting, the army’s huddle held a “comprehensive review of professional & organizational matters of the Army,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
“It was resolved to fight against terrorists without any distinction & eliminate this menace as per aspirations of people of Pakistan,” the military’s media wing wrote on Twitter.
This week, the embassies of Saudi Arabia, the United States and Australia have announced new security adviseries for their residents living and working in Islamabad, advising caution in light of the uptick in militant attacks.
Militants have also increased attacks in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province where last Sunday, multiple attacks killed six troops and wounded 17 civilians.