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TODAY'S PAPER | AUGUST 13, 2020
TODAY'S PAPER | AUGUST 13, 2020
- Pakistan has left no stone unturned in raising Kashmiris' plight, says DG ISPR[/paste:font]
Dawn.comUpdated 13 Aug 2020
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DG ISPR Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar addresses a press conference on Thursday. — DawnNewsTV
The chief of the Pakistan Army's media wing, Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar, addressed a press conference on Thursday during which he spoke about various issues concerning internal and external security.
The director general of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) started the news conference by speaking about Indian oppression in occupied Kashmir.
"Azaadi (independence) is a huge blessing," he said. "Ask about the importance of freedom from the mother of an occupied Kashmir resident that buries her son with the Pakistan flag."
"In occupied Kashmir, the inhumane siege has continued for one year. Genocide is being done and human rights are being violated through India's state terrorism in the occupied [region].
"Under a pre-planned, thought-out plan, India by changing the demography of the region is trying to evict the Muslims living there," Maj Gen Iftikhar said.
"There is no atrocity left which the Kashmiris have not witnessed. Youths are being martyred and being buried in unnamed places in the name of counter-terrorism."
He noted that the targeting of Kashmiris with pellet guns by the Indian forces has become the norm while the region's local leadership has been kept in detention for one year.
He said Pakistan has "left no stone unturned" in raising Kashmiris' plight before the world.
"The Government of Pakistan at all regional and international forums has raised awareness on the Kashmir issue and voices against the oppression are reverberating through the world's corridors."
Genocide Watch and international media have unmasked India's actions in the occupied valley while the United Nations secretary general has stressed human rights in Kashmir, the DG ISPR said.
"During the past one year, the issue has been raised in the UN three times and this shows that the issue is of cardinal importance in the eyes of the world. And their (Kashmiris') fight for independence will InshAllah be successful."
'India targeting civilians at LoC'
He said the situation at the Line of Control is linked to the Kashmir issue, saying: "Despite the ceasefire appeal by the UN secretary general during the pandemic, India continued their traditional cowardly actions and targeted innocent people."
He said till now, India has committed 1,927 ceasefire violations and has deliberately targeted peaceful people living along the LoC in Azad Kashmir.
"Sixteen innocent people have been martyred while 158 have been injured. In these ceasefire violations, heavy weapons were used indiscriminately.
"Let me also tell you that the Pakistan Army responds to all the ceasefire violations effectively, but being a professional army we make military targets and target those posts that are carrying out [the firing].
"On July 22, international media toured Azad Kashmir. They were allowed access to the people of AJK; they saw and interacted with the people targeted by the ceasefire violations.
"But on the other hand, in occupied Kashmir, neither international media nor the UN group was allowed to go to the LoC. But we have nothing to hide, that is why we have always allowed international media to go wherever they want in Azad Kashmir.
"The government, in light of India's actions, for the protection of the people, has decided to build shelters in the homes of AJK residents. One thousand shelters have been constructed and more are being made."
"The fire of racism and communal hatred that India has started has spread to the whole country. Their move to externalise their internal failures has put them at such a point that the lava can take the whole region in its wake.
"A UN report highlighted terrorist groups in India; they use these groups against Pakistan and to spread instability in the region. The unsuccessful attack on the Pakistan Stock Exchange or money laundering to facilitate terrorists, all the clues lead to India."
He said India had seen an increase in its defence budget and it was involved in an arms race. "India is at the top of the list of countries buying arms. Pakistan is completely aware of India's intentions and capabilities.
"Wars are not fought only through the power of weapons; the people's trust and the nation's resolve are the true assets of the army."
Hopes for Afghan peace
Speaking about the Afghan peace talks, Maj Gen Iftikhar said Pakistan played its part for peace in Afghanistan. "We hope that attempts for the reconciliation process are soon successful," he added.
"Peace in Afghanistan means peace in Pakistan [and] peace along our western borders. So if there is anyone who wants peace in Afghanistan after Afghans, it is Pakistan.
"And the way the peace process is going forward, it is also time for a gradual, time-bound and adequately resourced refugee return programme for dignified repatriation of Afghan refugees within the earliest possible time-frame facilitated duly by all stakeholders."
Gains of operation Radd-ul-Fasaad
Sharing statistics from operation Radd-ul-Fasaad, the DG ISPR said: "the war against terrorism is a hard-earned success."
"46,000 murabba kilometre [of land] has been evacuated from terrorists. More than 18,000 terrorists were killed and 400 tonnes of explosive material was seized," he told the press conference.
Under the operation, more than 194,000 intelligence-based operations were carried out and more than 70,000 weapons and five million ammunition that was in the use of militants were recovered, he added.
Border management bringing crimes down
The DG ISPR said measures are being taken at the Pak-Afghan and Pak-Iran borders as part of border management, which includes border terminals, scanner biometric system, border posts, forts and fencing.
He stressed that people on both sides of the frontier will benefit and terrorism can be stopped through managing the border.
"The capacity enhancement of Front Corps KP and Balochistan is being done for effective border management.
"On the Pak-Afghan border, fencing on more than 1,700km has been completed. In KP, 730km and in Balochistan, 980km have been fenced."
As part of the fencing work, Maj Gen Iftikhar revealed, more than 70 improvised explosive devices were defused under one project.
"Work is also ongoing on Pak-Iran border fencing and this will be completed by 2021. Further, more than 1,000 border posts and forts are also being built; 400 have been completed and the rest are being set up.
"Due to improvement in fencing and border management, IED explosions, illegal movement and smuggling have reduced.
"Through different operations under border management, peace has been brought in tribal areas where the civil administration is now working on the development of these areas. All this would not have been possible without the media; the media played an excellent role in the war against terrorists.
"As far as Balochistan is concerned, some enemy forces have been trying to disrupt the situation. Pakistan Army is working day and night to foil these attempts and some important progress has been made which will be shared with you at the right time."
More to follow - https://www.dawn.com/news/1574208/p...rned-in-raising-kashmiris-plight-says-dg-ispr
