"Pakistan Army has never targeted children and women," Nisar said, while addressing the media after a meeting with the committee drafting a national action plan to counter terrorism in Islamabad.
On December 16, militants stormed the Army Public School and Degree College on Warsak Road in the Cantonment area of Peshawar and killed 148 people. The banned TTP immediately claimed responsibility for the sickening attack. “We selected the army’s school for the attack because the government is targeting our families and females,” said TTP spokesman Muhammad Umar Khorasani.
Explaining the army's actions, Nisar said before a military offensive was launched against militants in North Waziristan and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas in June, army chief General Raheel Sharif and he had a mutual stance to ensure minimum to no collateral damage.
"If targeting civilians was our aim then we could have wiped out Miramshah where militants and citizens lived side by side with a couple of strikes. But we don't target non-combatants," the interior minister asserted.
Further, the interior minister said, "We are in a state of war."
He added supporters and sympathisers of militants live among us and it is an internal war.
"The militants look like us and they have sympathisers who live among us," he warned, adding, "Fighting terrorism for other countries was easier because the terrorists looked different -- they were foreigners."
Urging the nation to unite in taking an action against militants just as it has united in grief and condemnation of the incident, the interior minister said, "The army has been fighting against militants for some time now but the nation needs to stand up and join the fight."
The interior minister asked citizens to report any suspicious activity to the nearest police station.
Nisar also requested the media to 'black out' militants and not give them media coverage. He also warned hotel owners and landlords to rent out their property carefully and after proper investigation.
He also appealed to mosques and madrassahs to report suspicious people and warned mobile phone companies to issue SIM cards after scrutiny.
"The security of the nation is our top priority," he said.
COMMENTS (25)
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@Asif: Dear Asif, I am not aware of what you consider to be carpet bombing. However, a F/A 18 E/F Super Hornet's load capacity is 17,750 pounds. Thus a flight of 4 Super Hornets could potentially have a bomb load of 71,000 pounds, which would be equivalent to thirty five 2,000 bombs. I am not an expert on bombing techniques, but am reasonably sure there would not be very much left of a large village or small town if either was subjected to 35 bombs. Perhaps I am wrong and the Australian Prime Minister was correct when he said Australia's Super Hornets, currently in Iraq, would only be used for humanitarian purposes? Personally, I cannot quite work out how 71,000 pound of bombs could be considered humanitarian. Methinks the mind set of our leaders is somewhat different from the normal person.
@Asad Baig: BTW does it make any difference if one is killed INTENTIONALLY or dies as COLLATERAL DAMAGE? In both cases one ends up in coffin leaving their grieving near and dear ones behind to pick up the threads of life again. Ponder over it.
@Noman: @someone: @Np: We seem to be forgetting the point here that before any operation, there came its announcement! Why? so that civil population moves out. And then people in all their wisdom used to say " Why government announces an operation date before hand" There was enough time given to these barbarians but they chose to make escape goats of their wives and children. They don't just kill your child, they murder their own to gain whatever they can! On the other hand, the drone is all "shock and awe". This is why you hear a lot about collateral damage when it comes to drones.
@Np: Pakistan does not have B52 which is capable of carpet bombing. Pakistan Army levels a area only when there are hardened fighters hiding and civilian have evacuated. The key goal is self preservation or the Army.
Your army is one of the very rare ones that actually carpet bombs its own population. How can you say women and children are not being killed by the army when such caret bombing is occurring?
We are constantly hearing from government spokes-people everywhere, that they do not target women and children so therefore they are being quite noble even though thousands of women and children are routinely killed via collateral damage. Well Mr Chaudhry Nisar you may fool a lot of people with this nonsense, but you know, and the military planners know that before the aircraft take off your actions will kill many, many innocent people as a result of your dreadful decisions, Nothing beats meaningful negotiations, but I am afraid that is not the Pakistan Governments strong suite.
Criticizing Taliban sympathizers has become suddenly fashionable in Pakistan .. but it wasn't all that long ago this guy was calling the former TTP leader Meshud a martyr. He has no credibility - reminds me of Malik.
Yes, Pakistani army use ultimate sophisticated weapons. Naam lekar fire karo, seedha nishane pe lagte hain.
How competent ministers and leadership we have these days? Instead of devising solid strategy to curb the menace of terrorism he preaching the nation to control terrorist at their own cost and keep eye at Tandoor wala and tea and Cofee shops.
@Rumy: Some body should report to cop about you. You are same like those barbarian only difference is i.e you provoke sympathy for them.
Mr. Minister, have you heard of a country called Latvia? A small, third world country. The roof of a Supermarket (a private building) collapsed in Latvia killing 54 people including some firefighters. Mr. Dombrovskis,the Prime Minister of Latvia, took personal responsibility for this tragedy and resigned. More than 130 innocent children have been brutally murdered in Pakistan, where does the buck stop? Not one single soul has had the moral courage to resign!! Shame on this nation.
Similarly drones do not kill women and children!
Isn't this the same guy who referred to Meshud as an martyr? He has no credibility and would be high on my list as one of the Taliban apologist.
Let the Minister explain to the dead that by carpet bombing and long range artillery fire that you, the children and your mothers were not targeted. You are a collateral damage, our American Bros have told us?The ancient barbaric rule of "an eye for an eye" has changed after the areal bombing to prehistoric times.
Rex Minor
How true ! Two of them,..well the whole family, the clan, the cabal, lives in Raiwind Palace. They are $billionaires.[US] Their money is in foreign accounts. Off shore. They also own two mansions in Mecca and Riyadh. And various properties and estates in England. However, they like staying close to their patrons...the Saudis.
pmln first should stop mushrooming SSP or similar militants outfits and if they denay their cordial linkage Nawaz sharif jalsa held in havalian can prove that flags bearers of SSP were almost 20% audience as per direction of rana sanaullah....dear army chief please put all of them in ecl and do as they said cuts they are and were biggest supporter of them
Mr. Bean it's not the comedy time, do something positive......
First off majority of the Muslims agreed based on Islamic teaching that there is absolutely "No compulsion in religion " . Also there is a huge difference between "INTENTIONAL" killing of innocent children,women and men and "COLLATERAL DAMAGE" .These coward rats have been using intimidation, executions, burning down schools, ransoms and killing innocent children,women and men to impose their so called sharia.These coward rats terrorise people of Pakistan on a regular basis and because of the fear of been caught and killed by the army they run and hide among their families including their wives and children using them as human shields. My question to you is that why these monsters are not only committing horrific crimes like Mongols to ordinary people and when it comes to their own safety they are putting their own wives and children in the harms way????? . By the way "KIds of Lal Masjid " were armed to teeth and they challenged the writ of the government and refused to surrender to army after repetitive warnings and negotiations. However we still have some naive and gullible people who are still falling for their propaganda just because they use Islam for their heinous crimes against humanity. Jazakallah Khiaran!!
By holding news conferences you think you are relevant, Chaudhry
You are the one as opposition leader did not help Rehman Malik nor did you bring any sincere proposal to the assemble floor to tackle this issue. It is almost 7 years that you have had a chance to do something about the terrorism threat in Pakistan. Remember Quetta and Abbas Town massacres!!! If you would have acted then we would have saved 150 children in Peshawar.
All the ones in power and opposition during the last 8 years must be held accountable.
Stop the operation in waziristan which the usa have dictated and get peace. Both side its our blood.
"He added supporters and sympathisers of militants live among us". Very true. Pm, Cm, ex prov Law Minsiter etc etc
Ch. Nisar starts digging up a new well every time there is a new fire in the village. The most incompetent interior minister of all times.
Nisar sahab disheartened by your press conference. You seemed apologetic to these barbarians. Shame on you! Scardy leaders dont deserve to be in power. Fully endorse army rule! Not a word was said condeming fascism which happened in Peshawar. CHicken leaders!
Not only the terrorists, but their supporters, financiers, and spiritual teachers must also be targeted, arrested and sentenced. They all have committed treason with the motherland.
TTP and its apologist (BurqaBahadur) should be eliminated now!