ISLAMABAD: A day after the corps commanders’ conference, the PTI on Saturday said that labelling free speech as “digital terrorism” would be detrimental to both the country and institutions. A PTI spokesperson feared that attempts to criminalise freedom of speech would “open the door to use extra-legal measures against critics”. The spokesperson called upon the institutions to be receptive to criticism …
LAHORE / ISLAMABAD: Though the government still has to finalise the date for a multiparty moot being summoned to deliberate on the planned ‘Azm-i-Istekham’ operation, another political party — the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) — threw its weight behind the proposed conference. In an announcement on Saturday, PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain said his party would participate in the multiparty …
ISLAMABAD: In a forceful rebuke, Pakistan’s top military leaders on Friday lambasted critics of the newly launched Operation Azm-i-Istehkam, accusing them of peddling self-serving agendas and malicious propaganda aimed at undermining counterterrorism efforts. “Forum noted with concern the unwarranted criticism by some quarters and deliberate misrepresentation of the vision, only for furthering their vested interests,” the armed forces’ public affairs wing, …
RAWALPINDI: PTI founder Imran Khan on Friday said that his party would participate in the government’s All Parties Conference (APC) to discuss Operation Azm-i-Istehkam. The reinvigorated and re-energised national counter-terrorism campaign was announced by the Central Apex Committee on the National Action Plan last month. The government vowed to unleash the full force of the country’s military, diplomatic, legislative, and socio-economic …
ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to convene an All Parties Conference (APC) to address the concerns of political parties regarding Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, sources said on Thursday. According to sources privy to the development, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is considering calling the APC upon his return from Kazakhstan, where he travelled to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. PM Shehbaz …
PESHAWAR: Nine terrorists were killed by the security forces in two separate operations in Khyber and Lakki Marwat districts on Monday, the military’s media wing said. A statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation in Tirah area of Khyber, where seven terrorists, including high-value terrorist commander Najeeb alias Abdur Rehman, and …
ISLAMABAD/PESHAWAR: Amid a surge in terror incidents, which Pakistan blames on the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leadership hiding in Afghanistan, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Thursday hinted at the possibility of cross-border strikes to eliminate militant hideouts in the neighbouring country. The defence minister’s statement came on the same day as Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s warning about the critical security situation …
LAHORE: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday explicitly laid down the government’s expectations from the judiciary with regards to ‘Vision Azm-i-Istehkam’ — which has been dubbed a “reinvigorated and re-energised national counter-terrorism campaign” by the government — saying that the courts should not provide any relief to those arrested as part of this action. Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, …
ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Sunday criticised the opposition for not supporting the newly announced counterterrorism operation called Azm-i-Istehkam as the latter demanded that Parliament be taken into confidence before any offensive against militancy was launched. The government on Saturday announced the operation, vowing to unleash the full force of the country’s military, diplomatic, legislative, and socio-economic arsenal to decisively defeat …
RAWALPINDI: Five Pakistan Army soldiers were martyred in a blast from an improvised explosive device (IED) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kurram district on Friday, according to the military’s media wing. A press release from the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the IED exploded on a vehicle of the security forces in the district’s general area of Sadda. The ISPR said …