Pak Army Backs Nationwide Simultaneous Elections per Defence Ministry Report to Supreme Court
The Pakistan Army’s new spokesperson, Maj-Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, distanced the military from the previous government’s decision to hold talks with the banned TTP. He stated that the relationship between the army and terrorists is only through “kinetic operations” until terrorism is eradicated. Gen Chaudhry expressed support for simultaneous elections across the country, in line with a report submitted by the defense ministry to the Supreme Court. He noted that terrorist activities have increased in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa following the US exit from Afghanistan. In the past year, at least 293 people were martyred and 521 were injured in 436 terrorist incidents. The security forces carried out 8,269 intelligence-based operations in which 1,378 suspected terrorists were apprehended, and 157 were killed. The terrorists operating in Pakistan were being trained in various areas of Afghanistan, and efforts were being made to restrict their entry into Pakistan. The military reviewed its operational and non-operational expenditures and decided to cut expenses related to fuel, rations, construction, non-operational procurement, training, and non-operational movement.
Elections
The spokesperson for the Pakistan Army, Maj-Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, distanced the military from the previous government’s initiative of holding dialogue with the banned TTP. He expressed support for simultaneous elections across the country, in line with a report submitted by the defense ministry to the Supreme Court. The relationship between the army and terrorists is only of “kinetic operations,” he said. Noting that acts of terrorism had increased following the US exit from Afghanistan, Gen Chaudhry said that the outlawed TTP and other banned outfits were now working together to sabotage peace in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Responding to questions related to the deployment of army personnel for election duties, the spokesperson avoided giving a categorical response. The federal government is empowered to deploy the armed forces in aid of civil power under Article 245, he added. The ISPR DG said that the Constitution imposed some “reasonable restrictions” on freedom of expression and cautioned veterans not to indulge in politics.