DG ISPR: Parliament and govt to decide on sending troops for Gaza peace force

Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said on Monday that the decision regarding Pakistan’s participation in a Gaza peacekeeping mission will be made by the government and parliament.

Speaking to select journalists in Peshawar, the DG ISPR said that Pakistan is a sovereign nation, fully capable of formulating its own policies and prepared to defend its borders and people.

He clarified that the authority to impose governor’s rule lies entirely with the government, adding that the Pakistan Army does not wish to engage in politics and should be kept away from political matters.

Commenting on regional security, the DG ISPR said that Afghanistan’s conditions “hold no meaning” for Pakistan, stressing that the elimination of terrorism remains the top priority. “There will never be any negotiations with terrorists,” he asserted, adding that Pakistan’s response to provocations from Afghan Taliban elements had been “immediate and effective,” achieving the desired results.

He said said that drug smugglers have influence over Afghan politics and that large quantities of narcotics are being trafficked into Pakistan from across the border.

He said that intelligence-based operations in Tirah and other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were progressing successfully, with 1,667 terrorists eliminated in ongoing operations against the militant group Fitna al-Khawarij.

The DG ISPR also pointed out that political, criminal, and militant groups continue to obstruct efforts to curb crime and smuggling within the country.