ISLAMABAD: The ISPR Director General said,"Creating a stable, peaceful and
normalized Pakistan with terrorists' freedom of action considerably curtailed through a comprehensive approach of consolidating gains in the western zone, clearing terrorists support base, illegal weapons and explosives control in the country, will restore public confidence."
Giving details about achievements in the operation RUF, he said since February 20, 15 major operations and 4,535 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) were carried out, besides setting up of 723 joint check posts across the country by law enforcement agencies.
He said some 4,510 suspects and 1,859 unregistered Afghan nationals were apprehended.
During the operation, he said 4,083 weapons and 622,191 ammunition were recovered.
He said 558 miscreants and feraris, who surrendered before the security forces, had been handed over to the quarters concerned for further necessary action.
Additionally, he said, 108 terrorists were killed during exchange of fire in various operations.
Giving province-wise details, he said in Punjab, two major operations were launched while 2,692 IBOs were conducted, 625 joint check posts were set up, 3139 criminals were apprehended, 345 unregistered Afghans were held, 1,088 weapons and 121,090 ammunition were recovered, and 17 terrorists were killed.
In Sindh, one major operation was carried out, 335 IBOs were conducted, 21 joint check posts were established, 157 suspects were arrested, 620 unregistered Afghans were held, 165 weapons and 8,324 ammunition were seized, and 52 criminals surrendered while eight terrorists were killed.
In Balochistan, four major operations were carried out, 261 IBOs were conducted, 13 joint check points were established, 283 criminals were apprehended, 692 unregistered Afghans were taken into custody, and 1,231 weapons and 10,402 ammunition were recovered.
He said 487 criminals surrendered while 10 terrorists were put to death.
In FATA and KP, eight major operations were undertaken, 1,247 IBOs were conducted, 64 joint check posts were established, 931criminals were detained, 202 unregistered Afghans were held and 1,599 weapons and 482,375 ammunition were seized.
He said 19 criminals surrendered before the security forces while 73 terrorists were killed in the ongoing operations.
The ISPR DG said former TTP commander, Ehsanullah Ehsan, who had joined Jamaat ul Ahrar (JUA), had surrendered before the security forces.
He said the surrender of commander of a banned terrorist outfit spoke volumes about the successes and achievements of the operation RUF.
He said the Pakistan Army, intelligence agencies and law enforcement agencies with the help and support of the entire nation had been successfully carrying out the operations against "fasadis".
The ISPR DG also divulged details about the recovery of a young medical student, Noreen Leghari, from Lahore.
He said Noreen Leghari went missing from Hyderabad and afterwards she posted on social media that she had joined Daish (ISIS).
Later her parents appealed to Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, who subsequently issued instructions to the Military Intelligence to find out the girl.
Following the COAS directives, the intelligence organization spotted the girl residing in a house located in Lahore and started monitoring.
In the meantime, it was learnt that the girl would detonate herself at some church during Easter celebrations on April 15.
Therefore, an intelligence based operation was carried out on April 14 and the girl was recovered to avoid possible attack on the church, thus successfully averting a massive disaster.
During the press conference, a video statement of Noreen was showed, in which, she said, she was taken to Lahore for suicide bombing.
Answering a question, Major Gen Asif Ghafoor said Noreen Leghari was recovered from Lahore and she did not go to Syria as was falsely projected through an electronic post.
"Our effort is that she goes back home to live a normal life."
In the light of this incident, he advised the parents to be vigilant about the activities of their children, especially while they were using information technology, particularly social media. (APP)