The government clarified that the Azm-i-Istehkam campaign is not a large-scale military operation and won’t cause mass displacement.
This clarification came after intense criticism from opposition parties, including PTI, JUI-F, and ANP, who argued that the government was planning military action without consulting parliament.
The government explained that previous military operations displaced many people to clear areas taken over by terrorists. Now, since there are no such areas, a large-scale operation isn’t needed. Instead, Azm-i-Istehkam focuses on intelligence-based operations to root out terrorism and violent extremism.
Opposition leaders, like JUI-F’s Maulana Fazlur Rehman and ANP’s Mian Iftikhar Hussain, expressed concerns about the campaign, saying it would weaken the country and that parliament should be consulted.
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif assured that the plan would be discussed in parliament. Meanwhile, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur claimed the campaign was not discussed during the apex committee meeting.