Army spokesman denies support to militant groups

The Pakistan army Thursday dispelled the impression that it is supporting any militant group including the banned outfit which was behind series of attacks in Balochistan province.

Army spokesman, Maj. Gen. Asim Saleem Bajwa, said that a targeted operation led by the paramilitary force and supported by the police and intelligence agencies is going on in Balochistan after deadly attacks on Shiite Muslims.

The banned extremis group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Talking to reporters in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, the army spokesman rejected impression of supporting any banned organization, adding that the Armed Forces were not in contact with any militant organization including Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and fighting a war against all form of terrorism in the country.

About improvement of law and order situation in Balochistan, he informed that Frontier Corps (FC) had set up 19 additional posts in parts of Balochistan in five weeks to further strengthen the security situation after the Hazara Town incident.

Commenting on the role of major intelligence agency, the ISI, General Bajwa said that it was operating within its mandate and had carried out nearly 130 intelligence operations in Balochistan and prevented several terrorist incidents.

He especially mentioned an operation in which 39,000 kg of explosive material was recovered in the month of August last year.

When asked about deployment of army in Balochistan, he pointed out that not even a single soldier was deployed anywhere in Balochsitan during the last five years.

He, however, said that decision of not calling Armed Forces in Balochistan was also a political move although the military leadership was not reluctant to support the civil administration under article 245 of the Constitution.

To a question, he said that the country was in state of war and there was a need of a united and comprehensive response of all the institutions.

He said the army fully supports a free, fair and timely general elections in the country, adding that imposition of governor’s rule in Balochistan province was a political decision of the federal government.

“We fully support free, fair and timely elections in the country. We have been supporting the present political set up during the last five years and will not get anything if elections were delayed.”

The DG ISPR said that there was a civil government in the province during the last five years and the decision to impose governor rule was taken after a complete political consensus.

Maj. Gen. Asim Saleem Bajwa also made it clear that it would also be a political decision if the provincial government was restored in Balochistan.

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Posted by Tahir Khan on Feb 21 2013. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.