ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said the State of Pakistan is committed to eliminating the scourge of terrorism at its roots, and the world acknowledges Pakistan’s successful operations against terrorists.
Chairing a review meeting of the steering committee on counterterrorism and harden the state in Islamabad on Thursday, he said that Pakistan has adopted a multi-dimensional strategy in the war against terrorism.
The prime minister highlighted that ground operations, relevant legislation, meaningful public engagement, and discouragement of extremist ideologies have all been effectively utilised. He directed the committee to ensure effective coordination between the federal and the provincial governments and strictly implement its recommendations.
Shehbaz Sharif also commended the role of the brave soldiers of Pakistan’s Armed Forces in the war against terrorism. He said the entire nation, including the families of officers and personnel who sacrificed their lives for the motherland, takes pride in their bravery and selflessness. He said the entire nation, the Armed Forces of Pakistan, the law enforcement and intelligence agencies are united and resolute in the fight against terrorism.
The prime minister said the Armed Forces of Pakistan valiantly confronted terrorists through Operations Radd-ul-Fasaad and Zarb-e-Azb, and the recent historic battle of Marka-e-Haq was recognised globally as Pakistan’s victory.
He acknowledged the effective steps taken by the provincial governments, Intelligence Bureau, Ministry of Interior, Counter-Terrorism Departments, especially Punjab’s CTD against terrorism. He said Pakistan is working on a comprehensive, effective, and actionable strategy for the complete elimination of anti-social elements including Fitna al-Hindustan and Khwaraij.
Talking about the menace of smuggling, the prime minister said joint efforts and cooperation among relevant institutions have led to effective actions against smuggling, resulting in its prevention. He said the prevention of smuggling has positively impacted the national economy. Shehbaz Sharif said a peaceful and terrorism-free strong state structure is essential for restoring investors’ confidence at the international level. He mentioned that the government has introduced revolutionary reforms such as full digitization of systems and improvement in the tax system in order to restore investors’ confidence. He said the record surge in the Pakistan Stock Exchange and improvements in global ratings indicate economic stability in the country, boosting foreign investors trust.
Furthermore, he informed the meeting that the repatriation program for Afghan nationals illegally residing in Pakistan is being effectively implemented in line with the international laws. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Field Marshal, Chief of Army Staff Syed Asim Munir, National Security Advisor Lieutenant General Muhammad Asim Malik, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Prime Minister’s Advisor for Inter-Provincial Coordination Rana Sanaullah, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, all provincial chief secretaries, inspectors general and other concerned government officials attended the meeting.
