Army response in Bannu was under SOP: Gen Sharif

RAWALPINDI: Army responded to armed men during the peace march in Bannu in accordance with its SOP, said ISPR Director General Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry.

Addressing a news conference in Rawalpindi, the army spokesman said that eight army personnel embraced martyrdom in a terrorist attack in Bannu. Later, local people held a peace rally which was their right. However, some armed anti-peace elements joined the rally. 

The rally participants passed by the terrorist attack site and the anti-peace elements among them tore down the temporary wall raised at the site, chanted slogans against the army and opened fire, resulting in some injuries. The supply depot was also looted.

The ISPR chief said that in such a situation what the army had to do under the SOP was done.

It may be noted that four people were killed and several others injured in the firing on the peace rally in Bannu.

He said a chaotic political group was opposing and making the Azme Istihkam operation launched after consensus among political parties disputed. He said the vested interest group was involved in anti-Pakistan propaganda in a very organized manner.

He said Azme Istihkam was not only a military operation but a national strategy to fight the menace of terrorism. However, he added, a specific political group wants that the objectives of this national campaign are not achieved.

The ISPR chief said that Afghanistan has border with six countries, including Pakistan. All the five countries except Pakistan use their passports to cross the border.

Why Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan is being kept a soft border to be crossed by using the CNIC of Pakistan and Tazkira (ID card) of Afghanistan?

The government had introduced one document regime passport for the border crossing but a protest was launched against it only because the protesters wanted a free hand for smuggling, he added.