Federal Defense Minister Khawaja Asif announced that there will be a multi-pronged and targeted operation against terrorists.

Speaking in the Samaa TV program 'Nadeem Malik Live', Khawaja Asif had a detailed discussion on terrorism, the National Security Committee (NSC) meeting, and government policies, revealing that the issue of relocating terrorists was discussed in a previous meeting of the NSC, but he did not participate in it because he knew that this issue was already decided.

The minister said that in the meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif could not ask the then army chief Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa why the terrorists were being welcomed back. He said Mohsin Dawar had opposed this policy and expressed his reservations in the meeting, but he was barred from speaking.

He said that many people raised objections to this decision, but the opposition was not too intense, so was effectively managed. He added that as a result of this policy, about 4,000 terrorists were settled, against which public processions were also held in Swat.

The minister further that terrorism in Balochistan was linked to Iran and Afghanistan, adding that Pakistan had carried out attacks on hideouts on either sides of the border, but the number of targets cannot be revealed on TV.

“There are 12,000 to 13,000 armed terrorists along the border. If they are not completely wiped out, they will become a serious threat to the state,” Asif warned.

Speaking about the recently held National Security Committee meeting, Asif said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur had neither opposed nor spoken in favour of an operation against terrorists. He announced that there will be a multi-pronged and targeted operation against terrorists.

During the show, Khawaja Asif mentioned two strategies to eliminate terrorism: a kinetic strategy, which will be based on the use of force in the affected areas, and a "soft and hard state" policy.

He further said that his party was in favour of setting up military courts, adding that it's something the PML-N will support. He said the state should be strong and deliverance should be taken to a level where extremist tendencies are increasing.

Talking about the situation in Balochistan, the minister claimed the traditional leadership and tribal leaders now believed that terrorists were not under their control anymore, adding that this problem had been passed onto the younger generation. Citing historical references, he said that Nawab Nowruz Khan was hanged by Ayub Khan despite an agreement, while former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf was responsible in the Bugti case.

He also criticized the intervention in Afghanistan during the era of General Zia and said that it was not a jihad, but a war of great powers in which Pakistan became a pawn. "The nation is united against terrorism, but now it is time to take steps to eradicate the menace from the roots; otherwise, its repercussions will soon be evident," he warned.

Aaif said the PTI insisted it was not in favour of any operation. He added that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur had criticized it as a formality and said that injustice was being done to their leader. "The focus is on eliminating terrorism, but PTI is only interested in its founder; their beginning and end are both the PTI founder," he maintained.

"For them, Pakistan stands nowhere; they claim that without their founder, there is no Pakistan. Wherever the founder is, the party should have participated. They hesitate to attend meetings at 11pm, yet if they continue making demands, this approach will not work," Asif insisted.

He further said that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif is avoiding meetings due to health reasons, adding that doctors had asked him to avoid travelling and limit his activities.