Addressing a press conference, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said the prevailing environment had enabled extremist groups to organise, build facilitation networks and repeatedly challenge the writ of the state, with implications for the country’s overall security situation.
During the briefing, the DG ISPR strongly criticised Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and its leadership over their stated positions on counterterrorism. He played video clips of senior PTI leaders, including the K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, and displayed screenshots of statements attributed to PTI founder Imran Khan, questioning what he termed their narrative on the fight against terrorism.
Referring to international assessments, Lt Gen Chaudhry said the United Nations had acknowledged the presence of 20 international terrorist organisations operating in the region. “Ask Tajikistan — it says terrorism is emanating from here. Ask Uzbekistan — it says the same. Ask Iran — it says the same. Ask Pakistan — and it says the same,” he said, rejecting what he described as a “false narrative” that portrayed Pakistan as the only country facing the problem. “Who exactly is satisfied with this situation, and who is saying that things are going well there?” he asked, alleging that misleading claims were being spread to confuse the public.
The DG ISPR also took exception to assertions that security personnel were sacrificing their lives for “minerals or dollars”, saying such claims insulted the sacrifices of martyrs. He said Pakistan, including K-P, was rich in mineral resources but stressed that peace was essential for their responsible development. “We want these resources to benefit the people of K-P, their children and future generations — but without peace, how will that be possible?” he said, noting that young people from the province were among those being martyred.
Referring to a recently martyred army Major Adeem, he asked whether the officer was not from Dera Ismail Khan and how many young men from the province had laid down their lives, questioning whether such statements honoured or demeaned their sacrifices.
Responding to calls for the military’s withdrawal from certain areas, Lt Gen Chaudhry said the army was a federal force operating under federal directives, adding that safeguarding Pakistan’s territorial integrity and security was a constitutional and legal responsibility. “No one has the authority to allow their province or areas to be handed over to terrorists for the sake of politics or to serve undisclosed interests,” he said.
Recalling past developments, the DG ISPR warned that similar political rhetoric in the past had led to the army’s withdrawal from Swat, with grave consequences. “What followed was not a small price — hundreds, even thousands of children and civilians in Swat, Matta and across KP paid with their lives, along with soldiers,” he said, questioning whether there was now an attempt to once again oppose operations and allow militant control, thereby enabling the spread of a terrorism nexus across the region.
He accused terrorist groups operating from Afghanistan and alleged Indian support of fuelling terrorism inside Pakistan, saying the country faced an unprecedented security challenge in 2025.
DG ISPR said militant organisations were using Afghan territory as their operational base, while funding and support were coming from India.
Referring to what he described as new investment patterns linked to terrorism, Chaudhry said, “The most prominent pattern affecting Pakistan points towards India.” He added that Afghanistan remained the base of operations for militant groups targeting Pakistan.
The DG ISPR said a “war economy” was a major driver of terrorism. Citing reports, he said around $147 billion was spent on Afghanistan’s reconstruction, raising questions about where the money went. He said when such financial flows stopped, groups dependent on conflict sought to sustain themselves by spreading terrorism across the region.
He also said $7.2 billion worth of US military equipment, including advanced weapons, was left behind in Afghanistan, adding that political and internal facilitation had taken place during the same period. Pakistan, he said, took a firm stand against these elements in 2023.
Chaudhry said developments in Afghanistan since 2021 had reshaped the terrorism landscape. He referred to the Doha agreement between the Afghan Taliban and the United States and its international partners, which committed to forming an inclusive government, preventing the use of Afghan territory for terrorism and protecting women’s rights.
However, he said those commitments were not fulfilled. “An inclusive government did not form, Afghan territory was used by multiple terrorist organisations, and groups such as the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) began operating from Afghanistan,” he said.
He added that due to the situation in Syria, around 2,500 militants had recently moved to Afghanistan, saying they were neither Afghan nor Pakistani.
The military spokesperson said 2025 was a “landmark and consequential year in our fight against terrorism,” as security forces launched an extensive nationwide campaign amid a sharp rise in attacks.
“This is the only purpose of this press conference, and I would request that we remain focused on counter-terrorism, as terrorism is the biggest threat being faced by the state of Pakistan right now,” he said.
According to the DG ISPR, security forces conducted an average of more than 206 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) daily in 2025. By the end of the year, the total number of IBOs reached 75,175.
Most operations were carried out in Balochistan, where 58,778 IBOs were conducted. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa followed with 14,658 operations, while 1,739 took place in the rest of the country.
During the briefing, the DG ISPR strongly criticised Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and its leadership over their stated positions on counterterrorism. He played video clips of senior PTI leaders, including the K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, and displayed screenshots of statements attributed to PTI founder Imran Khan, questioning what he termed their narrative on the fight against terrorism.
Referring to international assessments, Lt Gen Chaudhry said the United Nations had acknowledged the presence of 20 international terrorist organisations operating in the region. “Ask Tajikistan — it says terrorism is emanating from here. Ask Uzbekistan — it says the same. Ask Iran — it says the same. Ask Pakistan — and it says the same,” he said, rejecting what he described as a “false narrative” that portrayed Pakistan as the only country facing the problem. “Who exactly is satisfied with this situation, and who is saying that things are going well there?” he asked, alleging that misleading claims were being spread to confuse the public.
The DG ISPR also took exception to assertions that security personnel were sacrificing their lives for “minerals or dollars”, saying such claims insulted the sacrifices of martyrs. He said Pakistan, including K-P, was rich in mineral resources but stressed that peace was essential for their responsible development. “We want these resources to benefit the people of K-P, their children and future generations — but without peace, how will that be possible?” he said, noting that young people from the province were among those being martyred.
Referring to a recently martyred army Major Adeem, he asked whether the officer was not from Dera Ismail Khan and how many young men from the province had laid down their lives, questioning whether such statements honoured or demeaned their sacrifices.
Responding to calls for the military’s withdrawal from certain areas, Lt Gen Chaudhry said the army was a federal force operating under federal directives, adding that safeguarding Pakistan’s territorial integrity and security was a constitutional and legal responsibility. “No one has the authority to allow their province or areas to be handed over to terrorists for the sake of politics or to serve undisclosed interests,” he said.
Recalling past developments, the DG ISPR warned that similar political rhetoric in the past had led to the army’s withdrawal from Swat, with grave consequences. “What followed was not a small price — hundreds, even thousands of children and civilians in Swat, Matta and across KP paid with their lives, along with soldiers,” he said, questioning whether there was now an attempt to once again oppose operations and allow militant control, thereby enabling the spread of a terrorism nexus across the region.
He accused terrorist groups operating from Afghanistan and alleged Indian support of fuelling terrorism inside Pakistan, saying the country faced an unprecedented security challenge in 2025.
DG ISPR said militant organisations were using Afghan territory as their operational base, while funding and support were coming from India.
Referring to what he described as new investment patterns linked to terrorism, Chaudhry said, “The most prominent pattern affecting Pakistan points towards India.” He added that Afghanistan remained the base of operations for militant groups targeting Pakistan.
The DG ISPR said a “war economy” was a major driver of terrorism. Citing reports, he said around $147 billion was spent on Afghanistan’s reconstruction, raising questions about where the money went. He said when such financial flows stopped, groups dependent on conflict sought to sustain themselves by spreading terrorism across the region.
He also said $7.2 billion worth of US military equipment, including advanced weapons, was left behind in Afghanistan, adding that political and internal facilitation had taken place during the same period. Pakistan, he said, took a firm stand against these elements in 2023.
Chaudhry said developments in Afghanistan since 2021 had reshaped the terrorism landscape. He referred to the Doha agreement between the Afghan Taliban and the United States and its international partners, which committed to forming an inclusive government, preventing the use of Afghan territory for terrorism and protecting women’s rights.
However, he said those commitments were not fulfilled. “An inclusive government did not form, Afghan territory was used by multiple terrorist organisations, and groups such as the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) began operating from Afghanistan,” he said.
He added that due to the situation in Syria, around 2,500 militants had recently moved to Afghanistan, saying they were neither Afghan nor Pakistani.
The military spokesperson said 2025 was a “landmark and consequential year in our fight against terrorism,” as security forces launched an extensive nationwide campaign amid a sharp rise in attacks.
“This is the only purpose of this press conference, and I would request that we remain focused on counter-terrorism, as terrorism is the biggest threat being faced by the state of Pakistan right now,” he said.
According to the DG ISPR, security forces conducted an average of more than 206 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) daily in 2025. By the end of the year, the total number of IBOs reached 75,175.
Most operations were carried out in Balochistan, where 58,778 IBOs were conducted. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa followed with 14,658 operations, while 1,739 took place in the rest of the country.