RAWALPINDI (MNN); Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, on Friday said that good governance is indispensable for Pakistan’s security, stability and long-term development, stressing that no national challenge could be resolved without an effective governance system.
Addressing a comprehensive press conference on the country’s security situation, particularly in Balochistan, the military spokesperson said the implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) required strong governance and political consensus. Referring to Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s remarks on creating new administrative units, he said Pakistan’s growing population warranted a serious constitutional and political debate on whether the existing four-province structure adequately served the needs of governance.
The DG ISPR emphasized that any administrative reforms should be undertaken strictly through constitutional procedures, legal mechanisms and in accordance with the will of the people.
Sharing security statistics, he said security forces conducted 40,348 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) during 2026, including more than 31,000 operations in Balochistan. He said 3,145 terrorism incidents were reported nationwide this year, with 1,971 occurring in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 1,148 in Balochistan.
According to the military spokesperson, 2,084 confirmed terrorists have been killed so far in 2026, averaging 10 terrorists eliminated daily, while security forces are conducting nearly 200 intelligence-based operations every day.
He said 819 Pakistanis were martyred in terrorism-related incidents this year, including 303 military personnel, 194 law enforcement officials and 322 civilians.
Discussing Balochistan, the DG ISPR argued that the province’s core challenges stem from poor governance, elitism, tribal power structures, smuggling networks and external interference. He alleged that hostile foreign elements, particularly India, were supporting terrorist organizations and conducting coordinated propaganda campaigns against Pakistan.
He said terrorism in Balochistan was also being facilitated by support networks operating from Afghanistan, adding that Pakistan would continue counter-terrorism operations without compromising on the Constitution or rule of law.
The military spokesperson announced that Operation Al-Azm, alongside Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, was continuing against terrorist groups, while security capacity in Balochistan was being strengthened through the establishment of FC West, enhanced policing, socio-economic development projects and improved infrastructure.
He further stated that over 2.6 million Afghan nationals had been repatriated from Pakistan, including 600,000 during the current year.
Commenting on Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), the DG ISPR reiterated that “Kashmir was, is and will remain Pakistan’s jugular vein.” Referring to the recent protests in AJK, he said political grievances should be addressed through constitutional and democratic means, adding that the state alone possessed the constitutional monopoly over the use of force.
