Countrywide operation need of the hour: analysts on 'Radd-ul-Fasaad'

A countrywide, all-encompassing operation against terrorists, including Punjab, is the need of the hour, said defence analyst Lieutenant General (Retd) Talat Masood.

Masood was talking to Geo News about the announcement of 'Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad', a countrywide operation by the military against “residual/latentthreat of terrorism”. He said that Punjab has never seen an army operation, which has resulted in failure to contain activities and ideology of sectarian organisations like Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, which have safe havens in the province.

“A countrywide operation is necessary to ensure terrorists are stopped from escaping to other provinces,” he said.

Masood emphasised on effectively implementing border management to ensure cross-border infiltration of terrorists is halted. He also called upon Afghanistan to eliminate terrorist safe havens on its soil to root out extremism.

Expanding on the observation that civil-military leadership are on the same page on the issue, Masood that unity among institutions is important and termed it a welcoming step.

Lieutenant General (Retd) Naeem Lodhi said that it is a good decision by the military to start this operation. The operation would be successful in containing threats arriving from internal factors.

He added that there are certain external elements too which need to be dealt with. Lodhi said there is a need to stop their infiltration.

Pakistan Army today launched a nationwide military operation 'Radd-ul-Fasaad', which would include broad-spectrum security and counter-terrorism operations in Punjab, and continuation of ongoing operations across the country.

According to the Director-General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) wing of the Pakistan Army, the operation aims include the elimination of the residual and latent threat of terrorism, consolidating gains of operations made so far and ensuring the security of Pakistan’s borders.