High spirited: Military operation nearing success, Rasheed

LAHORE:

Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed said on Friday that the ongoing military operation against terrorist outfits was nearing success. He said compared to the previous years there had been a decline in the number of terrorist attacks this year.

He was speaking to the media after a visit to the Child Protection Bureau (CPB).

Rasheed said the country’s involvement in regional conflicts had led to the emergence of terrorism. He said the absence of a democratic government in the previous decade had facilitated growth of terrorist outfits. “Elected governments are better suited to dealing with such situations. They can avoid succumbing to pressure from foreign powers,” he said.

On Balochistan, he said the federal government was committed to restoring peace in the province. He said there was consensus among all political parties about the need to fight groups posing a threat to the national interest. He said neighbouring countries had assured the government that they would not let groups fighting Pakistan operate from their territories.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 28^th, 2015.