PESHAWAR: Corps Commander Lieutenant General Hidayat-ur-Rehman on Saturday said Middle Eastern terrorist group Daesh (also self-styled as the Islamic State) poses no threat to Pakistan.

Speaking to journalists alongside Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Mehtab Khan Abbasi, Gen Hidayat said there was no need to fret about Daesh or its potential emergence in the country.

“For us it’s just a change of name, and there is no need for Pakistanis to worry. There are several defections in the Taliban now, which are becoming part of Daesh. But we’re well aware of the situation and are able to tackle them effectively,” said the Peshawar Corps Commander.

Gen Hidayat rebuffed the perception that the terrorist group was silently spreading across the country, saying that the army and security forces were in control of the situation.

He added that security forces had been dealing with the Taliban for over 12 years, and Daesh was no different to the TTP.

He also said militant havens have been destroyed with the help of public support, and that the Taliban would not be allowed to hide anywhere.

The Corps Commander revealed that the army was involved in several other operations against militants, apart from operation Zarb-e-Azb.

Daesh— or Islamic State— had recently announced it was setting itself up for operations in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Know more: Govt in a state of denial about Daesh?

Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs and National Security, Sartaj Aziz, had also mirrored Gen Hidayat’s stance a few weeks ago, saying the emergence of Islamic State is not a real problem for Pakistan.