Countrywide ‘special’ combing operations ordered

ISLAMABAD: Describing the Quetta terrorist attack as an attempt to undermine the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, army chief General Raheel Sharif ordered the intelligence agencies on Monday to launch a countrywide ‘special combing operations’ to eliminate terrorists.

The decision was taken after the army chief chaired an emergency meeting at the corps headquarters in Quetta to review the security situation and discuss the future course of action in the wake of the deadly blast.

Attended by Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri, Commander Southern Command Lt Gen Aamer Riaz and other security officials, the army chief directed the intelligence agencies to “go anywhere in the country to target anyone linked with these terror acts”.

“Having been defeated in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the terrorists are shifting their focus to Balochistan,” the military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), quoted Gen Raheel as saying.

The army chief said the attack was an attempt to undermine improved security in Balochistan ,especially targeting CPEC.

His statement appears to suggest Pakistan suspects that ‘hostile foreign agencies’, particularly India’s Research and Analysis Wing, might be behind the Quetta massacre.

Chief Minister Zehri told a private news channel that RAW’s hand behind the Quetta blast could not be ruled out, although investigations are under way to determine the masterminds of this deadly bombing.

Pakistan has publicly accused India of fuelling violence in the strategically important Balochistan province.

Earlier this year, a RAW agent was detained from the province. Kulbhushan Yadav confessed to have been working for the Indian spy agency to create unrest in Balochistan and other parts of Pakistan.

The army chief also directed the security institutions to make use of all available resources to control the overall law and order situation.

Meanwhile, General Raheel visited the Civil Hospital Quetta and inquired after the injured victims of the blast. He also directed the authorities concerned to provide best medical care to those admitted at the hospital.

“The COAS visited the Balochistan High Court and offered condolences to the chief justice Balochistan and the panel of judges,” DG ISPR Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa tweeted. “General Raheel visited the Civil Hospital and expressed solidarity with the injured. Serious patients have been shifted to Combined Military Hospital,” he added.

Two victims were shifted to Karachi for immediate treatment, Bajwa said, adding that about 20 more would be ferried by military plane to various cities.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 9^th, 2016.