Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor held a news conference on Thursday, warning the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) not to cross the line.
The military spokesman said the army was using confidence-building measures with the PTM and not handling them with heavy-handedness. “They [PTM] are hurt and have suffered in the war. We still want to deal with them politely but they are headed in the direction where the same will happen to them which happens when the state establishes its writ.”
During his news conference, the military spokesman said the PTM had started out with three demands which were a reduction in check posts, clearance of mines and missing persons.
Major General Bajwa said as the security situation had improved, the Pakistan Army had decreased its check posts along with their operating procedures. “In 2016 there were 469 check posts in KP and Fata, as we speak today there are 331. We will not keep a single check post if we feel the security situation does not require it.”
He added that the soldiers at the check posts could be from Turbat, Landhi, Lahore or from Gujrat. “He [the soldier] is miles away from home and is standing there to protect the residents of that area.”
The military spokesman also linked this to the security situation in Afghanistan. “We have improved the security situation at our end…If today we can get surety that Afghanistan has control we can bring back the 200,000 troops. We cannot do this as the threat across the border has not been eliminated.”
He added that border fencing was underway and by the end of next year when this is completed the cross-border threat would be decreased.
Speaking on the second demand of the PTM, the military spokesman said there were 43 teams of engineers in KP and Fata who were working in various districts to clear mines. “These teams till now have cleared near 44 per cent of the area. It is important to remember that a war has taken place in this area. Several of our troops have also suffered casualties due to these mines and unexploded bombs. A casualty whether of a civilian or soldier is of a Pakistani and one day we will clear this area of the explosives and mines.”
The DG ISPR spoke on the third demand of the PTM which war over missing persons. He said there were 7,000 mission persons cases from 2010-11. “From these 7,000 cases over 4,000 have been settled. 3,000 plus cases are under process with 2,000 cases with the commission.”
According to Major General Ghafoor, it could not be proven that those missing were not part of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) or any other faction. “We want this process to move further and for it to be resolved.
He stressed that the PTM was headed in a direction where they might cross the line and the state would have to use force against them.
