• Chairs Apex Committee, vows to eliminate terror groups backed by enemy countries
• Sees PTI hand behind ‘anti-state propaganda’; says curbing ‘fake news’ essential to fight terror
• KP CM Gandapur rejects premier’s denial of protesters’ killing on Nov 26

ISLAMABAD: Alluding to an uptick in the acts of terrorism over the past several months, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday disclosed that terrorist elements had intruded into certain parts of the country, but pledged that they would be eradicated.

Presiding over a meeting of the Apex Committee of the National Action Plan, the premier said that these intruders had managed to gain a foothold in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, with the backing of some countries.

Referring to a recent cross-border attack, he said Pakistan’s security forces gave a befitting response to that assault. He said the government is well aware of the enemy countries that are facilitating and backing these intruders in their terrorist activities.

The government, he said, was determined to completely eliminate terrorists from the country to ensure its socioeconomic development.

The prime minister stressed that the federal government, the provinces and all relevant stakeholders in collaboration with security forces should make a comprehensive plan in this regard.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, members of the federal cabinet, chief ministers of all the provinces, Chief of the Army Staff Gen Syed Asim Munir and other high officials.

Resolve against ‘fake news’

Without directly naming the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, PM Shehbaz blamed the main opposition party for being involved in anti-state activities through “fake news” and propaganda.

The premier once again denied the killing of any PTI worker during its Nov 26 protest in the federal capital.

Addressing the Apex Committee’s meeting, PM Shehbaz said: “They (PTI) are launching a campaign against Pakistan. This is quite dangerous. Islamabad was attacked and Rangers [personnel] were killed. Police and armed forces personnel are sacrificing their lives.”

The premier vowed to tackle the growing challenge of fake news and misinformation on social media, calling it inevitable for the elimination of terrorism and extremism from the country.

“On the digital front, the venom against Pakistan is being spitted through social media from some elements abroad. This is also a big challenge, which is supported by distorted facts and twisted reality,” he added.

The PM said certain questions are being raised by distorting facts and twisting the reality on social media that were denting the state’s image.

“If we don’t counter this challenge, all efforts [to eliminate terrorism and extremism in the country] will go to waste,” he said, expressing the confidence that the government would overcome such challenges.

The premier also mentioned the Special Investment Facilitation Council’s meeting, held the previous day, which had discussed the agenda of prosperity and development. He said there was consensus that without bringing peace and stability to the country, economic development was not possible.

Gandapur’s response

However, PTI leader and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur rejected the premier’s remarks.

CM Gandapur, who along with PTI founder Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi, had led the Nov 26 march on Islamabad, said the prime minister should not have denied the killings because 13 bodies of protesters had been identified.

On the other hand, he claimed that the bodies of PTI workers who were killed during Nov 26 crackdown had been identified.

Regarding government-PTI talks, Mr Gandapur said he had no backdoor contacts with government.

Meanwhile, some reports were doing the rounds on Friday that the jailed PTI founder Imran Khan had been offered to be shifted to his residence at Banigala from Adiala Jail.

However, a member of the government’s negotiation committee, Senator Irfan Siddiqui, said the government had not offered anything to PTI.

In a statement, he said talks between the government and PTI were at the same stage where they were on Dec 23 when the first meeting took place.

“Talks will not move forward unless PTI side gave its demands in black and white,” he added.

Published in Dawn, January 4th, 2025