The fifth day of Operation Zarb-e-Azb was marked with multiple ingresses in militants controlled areas by the Pakistan army. Militants were targeted in different areas of North Waziristan by the Cobra Gunship helicopters of Army Aviation. The security forces further constricted the cordon around the residential areas sheltering terrorists, making it extremely difficult for them to escape.
The armoured corps along with the infantry has already been mobilised to the suburbs of Miranshah and MirAli. The initiation of a more intense phase of the operation is expected after the end of three days, during which the curfew has been considerably relaxed for allowing the movement of trapped civilians to displaced person camps.
Casualties
ISPR in its media update stated that 15 militants were killed by the Army gunship helicopters attack in Zartatangi mountain heights, east of Miranshah. One of the TTP, main communication centre was also destroyed in this attack.
The military snipers also shot dead eight Uzbek terrorists while they were planting improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on Miranshah-Mirali road.
Mr. Shamsul Islam, son of JUI-F Senator Maulana Saleh Shah was gunned down while he was travelling from Wana to Tank district in South Waziristan.
Internally Displaced Person (IDP)
The relaxation in curfew by the civilian authorities has made it possible for a large number of IDPs to flee to safer areas. Mr. Arshad Khan, the Director General of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas Disaster Management Authority updated that around 30,000 people have arrived at the camps in Bannu. The government has already set up hundreds of camps in order to accommodate the IDP’s and to provide them with relief items.
To expedite the registration and evacuation process, the military officials pointed out that the number of registration points at Saidagai post have been increased to 20, making it 10 each, for men and women.
The Government of Pakistan also negated the offers of United Nations and any other foreign help for the Internally Displaced Person. The officials said that the federal government has issued a clear directive to all concerned not to ask the UN or any other foreign relief agencies for assistance.
Other Developments
A high level meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad. Mr. Sharif iterated that Pakistan is fighting a decisive war against terrorists and for the success of this military operation, national unity is inevitable. The PM once again assured full support to the Jawans engaged in Zarb-e-Azb war and the IDP’s in KPK.
The Governor KPK Mr. Mehtab Abbasi met a delegation of Salarzai, Tarakani and Utmankhel tribes of Bajaur Agency that called on him at Governor’s House. While talking to the delegation, Governor KPK emphasised on the restoration of peace and mentioned that it is the fore most priority of the government to ensure peace in the tribal areas.
Miss Tasnim Aslam, the spokesman of FO, once again condemned the US drone attacks in North Waziristan in her weekly briefing. She said that there is no link between the ongoing military operation and the drone attacks.
Contributing Reporter: Atiq Durrani
Discuss this topic on Defence.pk
Our Pak Afwaj we salute you our pride our joy our identity our saviours our guardians.
Our brave soldiers fight foreign sponsored terrorists everywhere and are managing the security in every major city.
Where is the fat punjabis government?
They tried their hardest to dissolve the powers of our Afwaj.
Dissolve our beloved ISI.
Humiliate our brave through their media namely GEO
Align with the terrorists to spread to give them further space to regroup and arm in our cities
They rig elections and stamp out viciously any dissension and have martyred the followers of Dr Qadri.
Load shedding continues
Inflation on an all time high
Enemies destroying our image and integrity through misinformation
Tell me what the overweight punjabi has done for this nation.
1. Humiliate himself infront of our enemy the eastern neighbor
2. Negotiate with terrorists
3. Pursue a personal vendetta against a man who too has made mistakes but is 10 times the man this punjabi or anyone in his government is,
5. He destroyed our relationship with Iran as part if a Saudi game and don’t get me wrong we love our Saudi brother but not at the expense of Iran either unless the safety of the holy sites was at stake.
6. He has the diplomacy of a hog and the charisma of a hyena
We as a nation are at WAR with terrorists in our frontier lands and major cities…
But the web of treachery and deceit does not stop at our borders and street corners but the stench is everywhere;
Judiciary
Police
…facilitated by a corrupt government.
Kick him out and reclaim Pakistan through real democracy with a government with true representation of the peoples sentiment and not someone’s sodomised rear entry and mouth piece.
If you can not fight a statesman fit enough to reclaim, secure and progress Pakistan then embrace Martial Law and let our trusted Afwaj take care if affairs for 5 years with full support of opposition groups and return this nation to its prestige.
We want freedom we pakistan