United we triumph over terror

ISLAMABAD:

The Parliamentary Committee on National Security on Tuesday approved a unanimous declaration, reaffirming Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to eradicating terrorism in all its forms and vowing decisive action against elements threatening national stability.

The country’s top civil and military leadership reiterated this commitment during the first committee meeting under the incumbent Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led coalition government. However, the meeting was boycotted by the key opposition party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), among others.

The committee emphasized that no institution, individual or group acting in collusion with hostile forces would be allowed to undermine Pakistan’s peace and stability. While expressing regret over the absence of some opposition members, an official statement said that consultations on the matter would continue.

The in-camera session, chaired by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir, key federal ministers, parliamentarians and senior military officials.

The military leadership provided a detailed briefing on the prevailing security situation, particularly in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P). The meeting was informed about ongoing counterterrorism operations, recent threats and the state’s comprehensive strategy to ensure internal security.

Prime Minister Shehbaz, in his address, emphasised the government’s resolve to eliminating terrorism, acknowledging the sacrifices of security forces. He expressed concern over the security challenges facing Balochistan and K-P, stating that national unity was imperative in countering these threats.

The participants of the meeting said that the army chief delivered roughly an hour-long briefing, outlining the military’s operational measures and intelligence-based actions against terrorist groups. In addition, they said, the director general of military operations supplemented the briefing through presentation on strategic countermeasures.

According to the official statement, the committee, while strongly condemning the recent wave of terrorist activities, called for immediate implementation of the National Action Plan and the Azm-e-Istehkam strategy to dismantle terrorist networks, curb logistical support and eliminate the nexus between terrorism and crime.

The committee expressed serious concern over the increasing misuse of social media platforms by terrorist groups to spread propaganda, recruit followers and coordinate attacks, stressing the need for immediate measures to curb this abuse. It also emphasised the need to establish procedures to block digital networks of terrorists.

The statement said that the committee appreciated the bravery, courage and professional expertise of the security forces and law-enforcement agencies (LEAs) in countering terrorism and reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to eliminating terrorism in all its forms. The committee also expressed solidarity with the families of those affected by the terrorist activities.

Shehbaz read out the declaration, which was unanimously adopted by the committee. The forum emphasised the need for a strategic and united political resolve to face the threat with the full strength of the state and called for national consensus in the fight against terrorism.

Reaffirming its unwavering support for the armed forces and the LEAs, the committee acknowledged their immense sacrifices and resolve for the national defence, stating that the nation stood shoulder to shoulder with the armed forces, police, FC and intelligence agencies in the war against terrorism.

Meanwhile, it was reported that K-P Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur highlighted the province’s security issues, calling for enhanced federal support and improved resource allocation for the merged tribal districts. He stressed the need for boosting the morale of police and security forces, mentioning ongoing efforts to increase their salaries.

Additionally, the reports said, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman expressed disappointment over PTI’s absence from the meeting, stating that all political forces should have participated in the discussions concerning national security.

Former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari underscored the need for a strong diplomatic response to counter terrorist networks operating from Afghanistan. He warned that instability in Afghanistan was fuelling terrorism in Pakistan and urged for decisive engagement with international partners.

The meeting concluded with Speaker Ayaz Sadiq expressing regret over the opposition’s decision to skip the session, emphasising that security challenges required a collective response beyond political divides.

The meeting of was called after security concerns escalated following a string of attacks, particularly in Balochistan, where militants recently hijacked a passenger train and carried out a suicide bombing on a security forces’ convoy.

Earlier, terrorists had attacked on Bannu Cantonment in K-P, where 16 terrorists were killed and five soldiers were martyred. Also, Maulana Hamidul Haw Haqqani was among six people who perished in a recent suicide attack at the Darul Uloom Haqqani in K-P’s Nowshera district.