NSC to decide on launching anti-terror operation: Khawaja Asif

• Khawaja Asif urged political forces to unite against the hostile elements
• He said internal differences pose serious threats to the country
• He said NSC would decide about action against terrorist organizations

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif urged all political forces to unite against the hostile elements just like the one reached for operation Zarb-e-Azb against terrorism.

Speaking on a point or order in National Assembly, the federal minister said terrorists were targeting not a sect or any particular segment of society but the entire nation.

He said the internal differences were posing serious threats to our country. He said religion has nothing to do with terrorism, but it is also a fact that religion is used to take the lives of innocent people.

“Soul searching and self-accountability have become imperative due to our own follies and blunders as the seeds of terrorism were sown during the dictatorial tenures,” the minister said.

He said the tragedy of the Army Public School (APS) in Peshawar had not been forgotten yet as another incident of terrorism happened in the country. “A successful war was fought against terrorism from 2010 to 2017,” the federal minister said, adding that several incidents occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Khawaja Asif said the country has already endured over $126 billion in economic losses and 83,000 people including, armed forces personnel, police officials, and others have been martyred but the world does not acknowledge our sacrifices.

Regarding the situation in Afghanistan, the defence minister said over 450,000 Afghans had been settled in Pakistan after crossing the Pak-Afghan border on valid documents. They did not return to their country and had now occupied transport business in Pakistan, he added.

He said Afghan authorities had already committed in Doha agreement that their land would not be used against Pakistan. He expressed the desire for the neigbouring country to improve its situation and remain peaceful.

The minister said PML-N brought the country on path of progress, prosperity and peace in its tenure by eliminating terrorism from the country. He criticized PTI Chairman Imran Khan for portraying negative picture of the country and agreeing to negotiate with terrorists.

While stressing the need for national unity, the minister said that “we sowed the seeds of terrorism ourselves”, adding, “We need to put our house in order. It is not the war of any sect or class but the whole nation.”

He stressed the need for developing national consensus for launching an anti-terror operation like Zarb-e-Azb launched in 2014 following a terror attack on Karachi airport.

The minister said that National Security Committee (NSC) would decide about the action against the terrorist organizations.

Asif said he supports having cordial relations with the United States, but Pakistan shouldn’t fight the war at Washington’s behest and in its interest.

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