Pakistan security experts call for ‘political, national unity’ for success of new anti-terror operation

Pakistani army personnel patrol outside a polling station during Pakistan's national elections in Peshawar on February 8, 2024. (AFP/File)
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Updated 26 June 2024
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Pakistan security experts call for ‘political, national unity’ for success of new anti-terror operation

  • Government has said it will build consensus before launching new operation, does not plan large-scale armed campaign
  • Several opposition parties have rejected the operation, accusing government of not taking the parliament on board 

ISLAMABAD: Security experts in Pakistan have urged the government this week to build political consensus for a new anti-terrorism operation, urging “national unity and diplomatic efforts” to gain approval for proposed measures and ensure their success. 

The South Asian state’s top national security forum on Saturday announced “Operation Azm-e-Istehkam,” or Resolve for Stability, operation after a meeting of senior military leaders and top government officials from all provinces. Several opposition parties have rejected the operation, accusing the government of not taking the opposition or parliament on board before announcing the measures. 

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Defense Minister Khawaja Asif separately clarified that the government was not planning to launch a “large-scale armed operation” against militancy but instead intensify ongoing intelligence-based operations. They also said they would seek to build consensus before starting a new campaign, which comes as the country faces daily attacks on security personnel and pressure from China to protect its nationals working in Pakistan.

“The government needs to engage with political parties expressing reservations and fears that the operation might be used against them,” former defense secretary, retired Lt Gen Naeem Khalid Lodhi, told Arab News, advising the government to go for a “small scale” operation rather than a military campaign. 

“To address extremism, complete political support, national unity, and diplomatic efforts are essential.”

Lodhi said an in-camera briefing needed to be arranged for political leaders as the whole nation needed to be united to ensure any new operation’s success.

Speaking to the media on Monday, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur urged the government to take concerned stakeholders and parliament into confidence before launching a new operation.

“Before any operation, the concerned public should be taken into confidence because terrorism cannot be eliminated without public support and it was also necessary to take parliament into confidence,” he added. 

“DIVERSE OPERATION”

According to the South Asia Terrorism Portal, which maintains data on terror attacks in the region, Pakistan has seen over 300 terrorism-related deaths this year, with dozens of security personnel, including officials, killed in militant attacks and counterterrorism operations in the first half of 2024. 

Previously, between 2007 and 2017, Pakistan conducted major military operations such as Rah-e-Haq, Zarb-e-Azb, and Rad-ul-Fasad.

Syed Muhammad Ali, an Islamabad-based security analyst, said Azm-e-Istehkam would be a “more comprehensive” counter-terrorism plan than previous ones. 

“It will involve intelligence and counter-terrorism operations as well as information, ideological, and legal aspects to reduce the psychological and social space for terrorism, and bring terrorists to justice, not just eliminate them physically,” he told Arab News.

In a statement released on Monday night, Sharif described the new operation as a “multi-domain, multi-agency, whole of the system national vision for enduring stability in Pakistan.”

“It is meant to reinvigorate and re-energize the ongoing implementation of the Revised National Action Plan, which was initiated after the national consensus across the political spectrum,” Sharif said, referring to a strategy formulated in 2014 to stamp out militant groups.

He said the new anti-terrorism operation would include political, diplomatic, legal, and information prongs and continue operations by law enforcement agencies.

Retired Brig Masud Ahmed Khan, a defense analyst, said the new operation was in the country’s interest as militants were not only targeting Pakistani citizens but also harming its diplomatic and financial interests by targeting Chinese nationals. In the latest attack, a suicide bomb attack killed five Chinese engineers in March.

“Attacks on Chinese nationals and projects is also an important factor as we need to protect them along with other threats to our security forces and installations,” he told Arab News, adding that the new operation would differ from previous ones as it would focus on both terrorism and extremism. 

“It is a diverse operation, covering terrorism, extremism, and protecting minorities from religious violence which is much needed in the current circumstances,” he said. “Political parties should keep the peace and security of the country above their political differences.”

Journalist Sumera Khan, who has covered previous military operations, said the operation’s timing was right as the state had tried other measures, such as expelling illegal Afghans and cracking down on criminals to control terrorism.

Pakistan has blamed the recent surge in militant attacks on neighboring Afghanistan, which it says allows Pakistani Taliban militants to hold camps and train insurgents to launch attacks inside Pakistan. Kabul denies this. Since last November, the Pakistan government has also launched a deportation drive under which over 600,000 Afghan nationals have been expelled from Pakistan.

“State was gradually hardening its measures and finally launched this operation which will now not focus only on the Afghan side but will be implemented across Pakistan,” Khan told Arab News, adding that all organs of the state would be actively involved in the new campaign.

“This time there is the possibility that the military will remain focused on the kinetic side while diplomatic and media sides will be handled by the government,” she added.

“RENEWED CYCLE OF RESENTMENT”

But some analysts are skeptical the operation will achieve its objectives.

Former diplomat Rustam Shah Mohmand said the operation would likely meet the same fate as many previous military operations.

“Since the first operation, peace has not been restored in the tribal areas, and this may initiate a renewed cycle of resentment and frustration, potentially fueling recruitment opportunities for terrorists and further spread of terrorism,” he told Arab News.

Mohmand said the government should instead focus on strengthening institutions, improving coordination between different departments, and increasing intelligence sharing to address specific threats instead of pursuing blanket operations.

“Additionally, there is a serious lack of coordination between provinces and the central government,” he concluded, “that needs to be strengthened.”


Pakistan government, ex-PM Khan party to again meet on Jan. 2 in bid to ease political tensions

Updated 30 December 2024
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Pakistan government, ex-PM Khan party to again meet on Jan. 2 in bid to ease political tensions

  • Khan’s ouster in a parliamentary vote of no-confidence in 2022 has plunged the country into a prolonged political crisis
  • Both sides last week held first round of talks after the ex-premier threatened a civil dissidence movement in the country

ISLAMABAD: Ayaz Sadiq, speaker of the lower house of Pakistan’s parliament, has summoned an in-camera meeting of negotiation teams of the government and the opposition on Jan. 2, the National Assembly Secretariat said on Monday, amid efforts to ease prolonged political tensions in the country.
The development came a week after the government and the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of former prime minister Imran Khan held the first round of formal negotiations on Dec. 23, with the PTI asked to present its demands in writing at the next session.

Representative of the government coalition attend the committee meeting in Islamabad, Pakistan, on December 23, 2024. (X/@NAofPakistan/File)

Khan’s ouster in a parliamentary no-trust vote in 2022 has plunged Pakistan into a political crisis, particularly since the PTI founder was jailed in August last year on corruption and other charges and remains behind bars. His party and supporters have regularly held protests calling for his release, with many of the demonstrations turning violent.
“The Honorable Speaker, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, will chair a 2nd meeting (in-camera) on negotiations between Treasury and Opposition on Thursday, the 2nd of January, 2025,” the National Assembly Secretariat said in a notification on Monday.
Khan previously rejected talks with the government, saying his party would only talk to the “real powerbrokers” in Pakistan, the all-powerful army, but earlier this month he set up a negotiating committee of top party members to open a dialogue with the government for the fulfilment of two demands: the release of political prisoners and the establishment of judicial commissions to investigate protests on May 9 last year and Nov. 26 this year, which the government says involved his party supporters, accusing them of attacking military installations and government buildings.

Asad Qaiser (left), member of former Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, speaks during the committee meeting in Islamabad, Pakistan, on December 23, 2024. (X/@NAofPakistan/File)

The talks opened days after Khan threatened a civil dissidence movement and amid growing concerns he may face trial by a military court for allegedly inciting attacks on sensitive security installations during the May 9 protests.
Sadiq last week said the first round of talks were held in a “cordial” environment, calling them vital to end “political polarization” in the country.
“Since some members of the opposition could not join the talks today, we have decided to hold the next meeting on Jan. 2,” he said on Dec. 23. “The opposition will also present a charter of demands in the meeting.”
Speaking to the media after the talks, Khan’s close aide, Asad Qaiser, said the PTI team had asked the government to release all political prisoners, including the former prime minister, and form a judicial commission, comprising senior Supreme Court judges, to probe the May 9 and Nov. 26 protests.
“We should be allowed to hold a meeting with Imran Khan,” Qaiser said. “He is our leader. We will move forward with his instructions.”


The negotiations came days after Pakistan’s military announced prison sentences for 25 people involved in the May 9 protests, which PTI has demanded be investigated. The PTI has also repeatedly said it fears the government and military will try Khan in army courts for the May 9 violence. He is already being tried for the violence in a civilian court.


Pakistan stocks surge by more than 3,000 points on hopes of policy rate cuts

Updated 30 December 2024
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Pakistan stocks surge by more than 3,000 points on hopes of policy rate cuts

  • Investor activity remained vibrant on Monday, with a total volume of 1,058 million shares traded
  • Pakistan cut its key policy rate by 200 basis points to 13 percent on Dec. 16, marking fifth straight reduction

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) opened the week on a positive note and surged by more than 3,000 points on Monday, amid hopes of further policy rate cuts.
The benchmark KSE-100 index soared by 3,907 points, or 3.51 percent percent, to close at 115,258 points, compared to Friday’s close of 111,351 points.
Investor activity remained vibrant, with a total volume of 1,058 million shares traded and a turnover of Rs40.8 billion, while hopes of further policy rate cut boosted market confidence.
“This upward momentum was fueled by optimism surrounding anticipated increases in equity fund allocations by local institutions ahead of the new year,” Topline Securities said in its market review.
“Adding further impetus was a statement from the finance minister over the weekend, suggesting a potential decline in interest rates to single-digit levels in the future.”
Pakistan’s central bank cut its key policy rate by 200 basis points to 13 percent on Dec. 16, it said in a statement. This was a fifth straight reduction since June as the country keeps up efforts to revive a sluggish economy with inflation easing.
The move followed cuts of 150 bps in June, 100 in July, 200 in September, and a record cut of 250 bps in November, that have taken the rate down from an all-time high of 22 percent, set in June 2023 and left unchanged for a year. It takes the total cuts to 900 bps since June.
Pakistan’s economy also grew by 0.92 percent in the first quarter of the fiscal year 2024-25, despite a contraction in the industrial sector, according to data approved by the National Accounts Committee, and released by its Statistics Bureau on Monday.
The growth was driven by positive performances in the agriculture and services sectors, which grew by 1.15 percent and 1.43 percent, respectively, in the first quarter of the fiscal year which ends in June 2025.


Pakistan reports 68th polio case of this year amid virus resurgence

Updated 30 December 2024
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Pakistan reports 68th polio case of this year amid virus resurgence

  • Pakistan on Monday began a week-long anti-polio vaccination in worst affected Balochistan province
  • Pakistan, along with neighboring Afghanistan, remains the last polio-endemic country in the world





ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has reported another case of polio virus in its northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, authorities said on Monday, taking the nationwide tally to 68 this year.
Polio is a paralyzing disease that has no cure. Multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completion of the routine vaccination schedule for all children under the age of five is essential to provide children high immunity against this terrible disease.
The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH) Islamabad confirmed the wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) case in KP’s Dera Ismail Khan district. This is the 10th polio case of the district this year.
“Pakistan is responding to the resurgence of WPV1 this year,” the country’s polio program said in a statement. “It is crucial for parents to ensure vaccination for all their children under the age of five to keep them protected.”
Of the 68 cases reported this year, 27 were from Balochistan, 20 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 19 from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad, according to the polio program.
It said a sub-national polio vaccination campaign was conducted across Punjab, Sindh, KP, Azad Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and Islamabad on December 16–22, vaccinating over 42 million children.
The Balochistan government had postponed the anti-polio drive for two weeks due to security threats and a lack of preparedness stemming from a boycott of the campaign by provincial health staff.
“The campaign’s second phase started today [Monday] in Balochistan,” the polio program said. “To keep children safe, it is critical for parents to welcome vaccinators among them and bring their children forward for vaccination.”
Pakistan, along with neighboring Afghanistan, remains the last polio-endemic country in the world.


Pakistan’s economy grows 0.92 percent in Q1 of ongoing fiscal year

Updated 30 December 2024
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Pakistan’s economy grows 0.92 percent in Q1 of ongoing fiscal year

  • The country is navigating a challenging economic recovery path and has been buttressed by a $7 billion facility from the IMF
  • The growth was driven by positive performances in agriculture and services sectors, which grew by 1.15 percent and 1.43 percent, respectively

KARACHI: Pakistan’s economy grew by 0.92 percent in the first quarter of the fiscal year 2024-25, despite a contraction in the industrial sector, according to data approved by the National Accounts Committee, and released by its Statistics Bureau on Monday.
The South Asian country is navigating a challenging economic recovery path and has been buttressed by a $7 billion facility from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in September.
The growth was driven by positive performances in the agriculture and services sectors, which grew by 1.15 percent and 1.43 percent, respectively, in the first quarter of the fiscal year which ends in June 2025.
Pakistan’s economy grew by 2.69 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of the previous 2023-24 fiscal year.
However, the industrial sector contracted by 1.03 percent, mainly due to a decline in mining and quarrying activities during July-September, read the report.
The committee compiling the national accounts approved the introduction of quarterly estimates of expenditure of the economy.
On the basis of latest figures of the national accounts aggregates for the last fiscal year, the overall size of the economy stood at 105.6 trillion Pakistani rupees ($379.31 billion).
Annual per capita income in rupees was recorded at 472,263 Pakistani rupees ($1,696.35).
The committee also approved an updated annual growth rate for the last fiscal year 2023-24, which stood at 2.50 percent, slightly lower than the previously estimated 2.52 percent.


Pakistan’s new Gwadar airport set to launch flights to Muscat from Jan. 10

Updated 30 December 2024
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Pakistan’s new Gwadar airport set to launch flights to Muscat from Jan. 10

  • The Chinese-funded airport is capable of handling A-380 aircraft and accommodating up to 4 million passengers annually, PM’s Office says
  • The start of operations at Gwadar airport was delayed because of security review due to militant attacks in Pakistan’s Balochistan in August

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s new Gwadar International Airport is set to begin flights to Muscat from January 10, the Pakistan prime minister’s office announced on Monday, following a months-long delay in the opening of the airport.
A security review prompted by deadly attacks by separatist militants in Balochistan in August delayed the airport’s opening to the end of this year. The $200-million Chinese-funded airport, which will handle both domestic and international flights, is expected to become one of Pakistan’s largest, according to the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority.
China has pledged over $65 billion in infrastructure, energy and other projects in Pakistan under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Part of President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative, the program in Pakistan is also developing a deep-water port close to the new airport in Gwadar, a joint venture between Pakistan, Oman and China that is close to completion.
On Monday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif presided over a meeting to discuss the airport’s operations and directed authorities to develop a strategy to establish it as a major transit hub, emphasizing the need to improve road connections between the airport and other parts of the country, particularly Balochistan.
“Flights from Gwadar to Muscat will start from Jan.10 next year,” the PM’s office said in a statement. “The Gwadar airport can handle A-380 aircraft and will be capable of accommodating 4 million passengers annually.”
The statement noted that the Gwadar International Airport has obtained necessary certifications from the Pakistan Airports Authority. Additionally, personnel from the Airports Security Force, Pakistan Customs, Anti-Narcotics Force, Federal Investigation Agency, and Border Health Services have been deployed at the airport.
The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plans to increase flights between Karachi and Gwadar to three times a week, while discussions are ongoing with private airlines and carriers from China, Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to launch both domestic and international services, according to the PM’s office. The airport will feature various facilities, including cold storage, cargo sheds, hotels and shopping malls, with banking services arranged through the State Bank of Pakistan.
Although no Chinese projects were targeted in militant attacks in August, they have been frequently attacked in the past by separatists who view China as a foreign invader trying to gain control of impoverished but mineral-rich Balochistan, the site of a decades-long insurgency.
Recent attacks, including one in which two Chinese workers were killed in a suicide bombing in Karachi, have forced Beijing to publicly criticize Pakistan over security lapses and there have been widespread media reports in recent weeks that China wants its own security forces on the ground to protest its nationals and projects, a demand Islamabad has long resisted.
In his remarks, Sharif highlighted that the Gwadar International Airport symbolized the strong China-Pakistan friendship, expressing gratitude to Beijing for constructing an airport with international standards and modern facilities. He also directed the implementation of comprehensive security measures at the airport.
The meeting was attended by Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Economic Affairs Minister Ahsan Khan Cheema, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, and senior government officials. Deputy PM Ishaq Dar, along with Federal Minister for Privatization, Investment, and Communications Abdul Aleem Khan, also participated via video link.