Senior security officials presented a detailed position on Pakistan’s regional diplomacy, internal security situation and ongoing measures against terrorism in a special briefing. According to officials, Pakistan’s priority has always been to promote peace, stability and peaceful resolution of conflicts in the region.
The briefing said that Pakistan played its role in reducing tensions in various regional issues and strengthening diplomatic ties. Officials were of the view that successful diplomacy is not limited to just prominent statements or headlines but its real aim is to achieve practical results.
According to security sources, Pakistan, along with several friendly countries, supported efforts for stability in the region. They said that several regional powers also played a positive role in promoting peace, which helped improve the negotiating environment.
Regarding the ongoing campaign against terrorism, officials said that more than 32,000 intelligence-based operations have been conducted across the country till June 15 this year. As a result of these operations, 1,861 terrorists were killed while hundreds of people, including security personnel and civilians, sacrificed their lives.
According to officials, most of the terrorist incidents were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, where security forces have further expanded the scope of operations based on intelligence information. They said that technology, surveillance and information systems are being made more effective to deal with modern security challenges.
Discussing the situation in Azad Kashmir, security sources said that state institutions prefer political processes to resolve problems within the ambit of law and constitution. According to them, negotiations and legal procedures are of primary importance to resolve public issues.
The briefing also highlighted defense expenditure. Officials said that a large portion of the defense budget is spent on salaries, operational requirements and mandatory expenses related to national security, while relatively limited resources are available for development projects.
According to analysts, the briefing gave the impression that Pakistan is emphasizing regional stability and diplomacy on the one hand, while on the other hand, it is also prioritizing counter-terrorism operations to address internal security challenges. Officials said that all relevant institutions are working in a coordinated manner to achieve the goals of national security, peace and stability.