Political standoff: Military says it sides with no one

ISPR’s director general says army believes it is a political crisis which should be resolved through political means.

ISLAMABAD:

Military’s media spokesperson Major General Asim Saleem Bajwa has once again clarified that the army is neither involved in politics nor it is siding with any stakeholder in the current political standoff.

“It has been our standpoint since day one that it is a political crisis which should be resolved through political means,” Inter-Service Public Relations’ (ISPR) chief said while talking to BBC Urdu on Monday.

He said the army could not afford to side with any particular group as the army is for the whole nation. “We have neither supported any party in the past nor will do in the future,” he added.

Talking with reference to operation Zarb-e-Azb, he said the ongoing military offensive in North Waziristan Agency (NWA) had dealt a heavy blow to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

However, he said, the TTP leadership, including its chief Mullah Fazulluh and shura members, had managed to flee to Afghanistan before the start of the offensive and are hiding now in Afghan province of Kunar. Pakistan has repeatedly requested Afghan government to hand over the TTP leadership, he added.

“The impression that Taliban are resurfacing is wrong,” he said, adding that the outfit was dispersed and was making sporadic attempts as its ability to plan and carry out coordinated attacks in different parts of the country had been eliminated through operation Zarb-e-Azb.

He claimed that the operation was successfully advancing towards its objective. However, he refused to give time frame regarding the completion of the operation, which began on June 15 after efforts to strike peace deal with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its affiliates failed.

Meanwhile, the army’s gunships killed another 15 suspected terrorists while targeting their hideouts in the NWA on Monday.

According to the ISPR’s statement, army combat helicopters in precise strikes destroyed ten explosive laden vehicles and five hideouts in Tabai area of the restive tribal agency. “Fifteen terrorists were killed in the strikes,” said the military’s media wing.

The military in recent weeks stepped up its offensive against militants in North Waziristan. A senior military official told The Express Tribune that security forces took control of major towns and cleared them of terrorists.

ISAF chief meets General Raheel Sharif

The newly appointed commander of US-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) General John Campbell visited the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi and held talks with Army Chief General Raheel.

This was his first visit to the General Headquarters after assumption of command of the ISAF.

“During the meeting, matters of mutual interest were discussed that included progress of ongoing Operation Zarb-e-Azb, latest situation in Afghanistan and coordination along Pak-Afghan Border,” said the ISPR statement.

Sources familiar with the meeting said both commanders also discussed recent announcement by a key faction of the TTP to give up violence in Pakistan and focus their activities on neighbouring Afghanistan.

It is believed that both Washington and Kabul are increasingly concerned about the development fearing that the move by Punjabi Taliban led by Asmatullah Muawaya may embolden insurgents in Afghanistan to target foreign troops.

Pakistani, however, assured them that it would not allow its soil to be used against any country including Afghanistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 16^th, 2014.