Lt-Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry says Pakistan will win war against terrorism by strength Terrorist attacks surged in Pakistan after India’s defeat in May conflict 2,597 terrorists killed n 1,235 security personnel, civilians martyred.
RAWALPINDI – Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Tuesday termed the year 2025 as a landmark and consequential year in the fight against terrorism and categorically said that Pakistan will win this war not through appeasement, but through force and strength.
While addressing a news conference, the DG ISPR said that the fight against terrorism is a collective struggle of the entire nation and that Pakistan remains fully determined to eradicate this menace. He said the purpose of the briefing was to provide a comprehensive overview of the counter-terrorism measures undertaken over the past year.
Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif said that the past year witnessed an “unprecedented intensity in counterterrorism efforts.” In 2025, both the state and the people of Pakistan achieved complete clarity regarding the threat of terrorism, he added.
Sharing details, the DG ISPR said that a total of 75,175 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) were conducted in 2025. Of these, 14,658 operations were carried out in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 58,778 in Balochistan, and 1,739 in other parts of the country.
He said that 2,597 terrorists were killed during the year, including 1,800 in KP, 784 in Balochistan, and 10 in other areas. Moreover, he said that 1,235 law enforcement personnel and civilians embraced martyrdom in the war against terrorism during 2025.
Regarding suicide bombing, Ahmed Sharif said that a total of 27 took placed in 2025. Of them, 16 took place in KP, 10 in Balochistan and one in Islamabad, at the judicial complex.
He said 3,811 terrorism-related incidents occurred in KPK, raising the critical question of why 80 percent of terrorist incidents are happening in the province.
The DG ISPR said the world has also accepted and acknowledged Pakistan’s stance and narrative regarding terrorism, particularly about Afghanistan. Terrorists have no connection with Islam and that Afghanistan has become a base of operations for terrorism in the region, he added. He said that terrorists and “Fitna-e-Hindustan” have no link with Balochistan or the Baloch people.
He said that 10 major terrorist incidents took place during 2025, including attacks on Bannu Cantonment, the Jaffar Express, a civilian bus in Noshki, and a school bus in Khuzdar, he added.
He said that the Federal Constabulary Headquarters, FC Headquarters Quetta, Police Training School Dera Ismail Khan, Cadet College Wana, and the Islamabad Judicial Complex were also targeted.
He said that the Federal Constabulary Headquarters in Peshawar was attacked again, adding that Afghans were found to be involved in all 10 major terrorist incidents.
The DG said every attacker involved was Afghan and was eliminated, and that terrorism-related incidents had declined after the border was closed.
He said that Pakistan’s stance against terrorism is clear, and the world has acknowledged and appreciated the country’s efforts to combat it.
Terrorist attacks in Pakistan rose sharply following Marka-e-Haq in May 2025, after India faced humiliation during the confrontation, he said on Tuesday, alleging that New Delhi subsequently activated proxy groups operating from Afghanistan to destabilise the country.
Referring to a chart, displayed in the briefing room he said it could be deduced from the data that after Pakistan defeated India during a four-day conflict in May 2025, terrorism surged. After its defeat, “Indians immediately sought to influence non-state actors.”
Afghanistan served as the base of terrorist operations for those incidents, he said, adding that Pakistan repeatedly urged Kabul to end cross-border terrorism.
“And then we carried out strikes on terrorists along the Pak-Afghan border in October, not targeting the Afghan Taliban or their posts. And what did the Afghan Taliban regime do, which is acting as a proxy and a base of operations for Indians? They attacked Pakistani posts, coming in direct support of the terrorists.“
“So the state of Pakistan did what was necessary. Dozens of Afghan posts were obliterated within hours, and a hard message was sent.”
Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that posts were eliminated not just at the border but also inside Afghanistan.
Regarding Afghanistan, Ahmed Sharif said the country has turned into a haven for terrorists, with various militant organisations from around the world operating from its soil. Sanctuaries of groups such as Al-Qaeda, Daesh, the BLA, and the TTP exist in Afghanistan, impacting not only Pakistan but also other neighboring countries, he said.
The DG said that according to recent intelligence, around 2,500 terrorists have arrived in Afghanistan from Syria, none of whom are Pakistani.
He termed this a serious threat to regional security, adding that Afghanistan’s neighboring countries are also being affected by terrorism due to this situation and that the international community should take notice.
He further said that the United States left behind a large quantity of advanced weaponry during its withdrawal from Afghanistan, which is not only being used in terrorist activities in Pakistan but also poses security risks to the entire region.
The DG ISPR went on to say that India is using terrorist groups as proxies in the region and is providing them with weapons and financial support. “Security institutions possess evidence in this regard, and that the issue has become a serious threat to regional peace,” he added.
Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry also said that parallels had been drawn between Pakistan’s actions in October last year and India’s in May 2025. “Those drawing the parallel are trying to spin a narrative,” he said. He added, “In May 2025, India targeted Pakistani citizens; Pakistan, however, did not target Afghans in October rather security forces targeted our own citizens who were present there and involved in terrorism in Pakistan. They have training centres there.
“We knew TTP was present there. Did we target TTA (Tehreek-i-Taliban Afghanistan)? No, we did not. “Only the state of Pakistan has the right to punish or reward its citizens in accordance with the law and Constitution of Pakistan. Who is India to cause harm to any Pakistani citizen?” He again asserted that in October strikes, Pakistan’s military targeted only the TTP and not common people.
