RAWALPINDI: Consolidating the gains made in other military operations and further ensuring the security of Pakistan’s borders, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major General Asif Ghafoor announced to launch subsequent operation under name of Khyber-4 in Khyber Agency’s Rajgal Valley today.
Addressing a media conference, the ISPR DG said that the operation aims to secure the international border with Afghanistan by preventing the Daesh and other local militants on Afghan side of the border from infiltration.
He reiterated that Daesh has no presence in Pakistan but the area, next to the Afghan border, is being used by militants affiliated to it. “The militant organization’s influence is growing on other side of the border,” he added.
Hoping to secure the border unilaterally, he said the operation would not be easy in the area being mountainous and having tough terrain. “The operation will continue till complete hold on Khyber Agency,” he asserted.
The DG ISPR said one division troops with support of Pakistan Air Force are taking part in the operation. ” Around 500 families had been living in this area, which are currently staying on safer places as Temporarily Displaced Persons,” he added.
“There will never be any foreign boots on our ground,” said Maj Gen Ghafoor when talking about collaborative efforts against terrorism on the Pak-Afghan border.
Referring to the ongoing phase-1 of fencing the Pak- Afghan border, he said on average there is a fort or check post every 1.5 kilometres.
The army spokesperson also shared details of country-wide operations conducted under Radd-ul-Fasaad. “As many as 56 major operations including the Mastung Operation and over 9,000 intelligence based operations were launched while over 1,500 joint check-posts were established across Pakistan,” he said.
Talking about the situation on the Line of Control, he said so far 580 ceasefire violations have occurred to-date this year — the highest in any year. “This indicates the Indian aim of diverting attention from political upheaval in Indian Occupied Kashmir,” he claimed.
To a question, he said the Army Chief will take a final decision on the appeal of Indian spy Kulbhushan Jhadav at the earliest.
