The rise in militancy prompted the government to launch Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, a counter-insurgency operation to root out militancy not only through military action but also through socio-economic uplift of the vulnerable populations to prevent them from pursuing the path of extremism. The controversy surrounding the operation stems from the lack of dialogue between the key political stakeholders, who have now decided to discuss the operation with the government.
In this regard, Federal Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif said on Tuesday that an All Parties Conference (APC) would be called soon to discuss the plan for the operation. He made these remarks during a television interview, where he addressed the controversy surrounding the new operation.
The defence minister invited the opposition to engage in talks with the government to address national issues and to put up a united front against militancy . He linked progress to constructive talks between the government and the opposition. He also expressed confidence that the entire nation and the opposition will support the government in its fight against militancy.
On the other hand, the government’s ally, but with political inclinations of its own, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) will present its viewpoint on the operation in the same APC in the coming days. This was disclosed by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, who addressed a press conference on Monday in Peshawar.
The scion of the Bhutto dynasty blamed the previous Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for its actions, which, he said, led to the rise in militancy across the country. He pointed out how militancy was once again surging in parts of Pakistan, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
Acknowledging the previous contributions of the Pakistan Armed Forces, Bilawal said that the current situation can be attributed to the “grave mistakes” made by the former ruling party. He accused the party of facilitating militants , rather than eliminating them.
Lauding the initiative of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to convene an APC to discuss the mater, the PPP chief said that when it comes to national stability, partisan politics should be set aside. He also hoped that the upcoming meeting would take stock of realities when it comes to these issues. He further urged the government to keep itself from repeating the mistakes of the past and to make decisions after consultations with the stakeholders.
Bilawal’s emphasis on consultations stems from his reservations over the government’s decision to prepare and move ahead with the federal budget for the current fiscal year without consulting his party. He pointed out that this was contrary to the promise that had been made to his party when they joined hands with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to form a government in the aftermath of the elections.
Pakistan has been dealing with surging militancy since the withdrawal of the United States forces from Afghanistan and the takeover of Kabul by the Afghan Taliban emboldened various militant groups targeting the country. The Pakistan Armed Forces had previously flushed out militants from various parts of the country, but they are reportedly regrouping, and joining hands to present a stronger front.
On Tuesday, during a shootout between the soldiers of the Pakistan Army and militants in South Waziristan, three soldiers embraced martyrdom. Following this, the Pakistan Army carried out a sanitisation operation of the area.
Paying tribute to the sacrifice of these three soldiers, Prime Minister Shehbaz also issued a statement, wherein he lauded the bravery of Sepoy Asadullah, Muhammad Suffyan and non-combatant Zain Ali. The premier expressed deep grief over the lives lost and prayed for their souls. He also prayed for solace for the families of these soldiers.