RAWALPINDI: Operation Zarb-e-Azab in North Waziristan had begun as a crackdown on terrorists who were using the area as a hub to spread terror all over the country,Director General Inter Services Intelligence Lieutenant General Asim Bajwa said during a press briefing held on Wednesday to mark two years of the operation which began on June 24, 2014.
When the operation began Waziristan had become a no-go area which no citizen of Pakistan could enter, he said
He said that during the operation a 3600 kilometer square area was cleared of terrorists. This included Datta Khel, Alora Mandi and Shawal Valley.
He stressed that before the operation began Pakistaninformed Afghanistan. “We told the Afghan government that terrorists will run to Afghanistan, you need to catch them.”
He added that the Afghan government did not pay heed to their advise, “otherwise the results would have been positive for them”.
The DG ISPR said that the Pakistan Army lost 500 of its personnel in the operation while over 3000 terrorists were killed.
During the operation 992 terrorist hideouts were destroyed, he added.
Over 7500 factories which manufactured weapons and bullets were destroyed, he said.
He said that in the two years of the operation in many areas the state has been able to establish its writ. “In many other areas army operations are needed.”
Addressing reports which said that terrorists had fled North Waziristan for Karachi, he said that they were highly exaggerated. “However during the operation 1200 terrorists in Karachi were killed.”
He said that the atmosphere of fear had been controlled in Karachi. "Crime and target killing has reduced in the city."
An Afghan intelligence network was working in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. "Several people of the intelligence network NDS were arrested. All of the agents in the network were arrested from Balochistan," he said.
Speaking about tension at the Torkham Border he said that border management was not an easy job. “Construction of a gate at Torkham was a joint decision taken by the government and military."
He added that one person had been killed and 19 others injured due to the cross border firing. "Pakistan wants peace in the region. To solve the issue at the border were are in contact with the Afghan embassy."
Speaking about Angoor Adda he said that not an inch of Pakistan territory had been handed over to Afghanistan.
The Operation Zarb-e-Azab will continue, he said.