India’s baseless allegation: Pakistan never points finger without proof: ISPR

Asim Bajwa says gang of militants involved in Christian Colony attack busted

PESHAWAR: Rejecting the Indian allegations about Pakistan’s alleged involvement in the September 18 attack on an Indian military base in Uri area of held Kashmir, the military’s chief spokesperson said unlike its arch rival, Pakistan has never pointed the finger at any one without concrete evidence.

“Indian allegations are baseless, without any proof and disturbing,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt General Asim Bajwa told the media on Tuesday.

Bajwa said despite the ongoing military operations against militants on the western areas, the security forces were carefully watching the development on the eastern border and were fully prepared to defend the country and meet any situation.

He said the army chief General Raheel Sharif and his delegation had returned from Germany and held special operation and security review meeting. “The special meeting was held to review the security situation [in the wake of Uri attack] and all aspects were discussed in detail,” he said.



The ISPR chief said Rajgal area of the Khyber Agency was under complete control of the Pakistan Army.

“The kinetic element of Operation Zarb-e-Azb including Khyber III has been successfully concluded and mountainous range of Rajgal has been cleared. All the strategic points are being manned by our security forces for close monitoring of the area and cross border movement,” he added.

He said the army was trying to improve border management. “The situation would be more satisfactory if neighbouring Afghanistan played its due role in this regard,” he said, adding that new check posts have also been established that would further enhance border management between the two countries.

Bajwa said 1,470 Intelligence Based Operations (IBOs) had been conducted in Peshawar and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata). He said these IBOs had significantly improved overall security situation, adding that in future the operations would be more focused and coordinated.

“Fourteen incidents of terror have been averted from July 1, 2016 till date in the K-P and Fata,” he said.

Christian Colony attackers’ nabbed

Bajwa said the gang of militants involved in the September 2 attack on Peshawar’s Christian Colony had been busted and all facilitators involved in the terror incident apprehended.

“All the four facilitators involved in the Christian Colony attack have been nabbed. The attack was planned in Afghanistan and the arrested facilitators helped the perpetrators to reach their final destination, the Christian Colony,” he said. Bajwa said one co-accomplice of the attackers was hiding somewhere in Afghanistan.

The ISPR chief said three persons were also arrested for their hand in Mardan courts attack, which also took place on September 2.

He said three suicide jackets were also recovered from the arrested militants that were planning to attack Mardan Police Lines and National Bank.  “All the arrested men were involved in facilitating the attackers to reach their target points from Torkham. Women were also nabbed for their alleged role in terror incidents and they would be prosecuted according to law,” he added

Published in The Express Tribune, September 28^th, 2016.