Field Marshal Asim Munir, Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff, says the armed forces will continue their counterterrorism campaign “to the fullest” against what he called “Indian sponsored terrorist outfits” and will “hit them hard wherever they are.” The military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), issued the statement on Friday.
Field Marshal Munir spoke during a visit to Corps Headquarters Peshawar, where the Peshawar Corps commander received him. He was briefed on the security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), ongoing counterterrorism operations, border management and the operational readiness of troops deployed across the province.
The army chief praised the morale and professionalism of the troops and told them to stay vigilant and keep the highest standards of readiness. He also paid tribute to martyred security personnel. He said that with public support, Pakistan would inflict “total defeat” on terrorists and what he called their “perverted ideology.”
The visit came a day after Field Marshal Munir attended a KP apex committee meeting at Governor House Peshawar, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The meeting reviewed the province’s security situation. The prime minister said the federal government, which is currently administering KP under governor’s rule, would make every effort to restore peace, stability and development.
The statement follows a sharp rise in violence. A recent report by the Centre for Research and Security Studies says violence linked deaths in Pakistan rose 83 per cent in the third quarter of 2026. That reversed the decline recorded in the first two quarters.
Balochistan and KP together accounted for 98 per cent of all deaths in the period. Balochistan recorded 829 deaths, nearly 59 per cent of the national total. KP recorded 556, more than 39 per cent.
Security forces have stepped up operations. On Thursday, four policemen were martyred and two terrorists were killed in an exchange of fire in KP’s Karak district. On October 19, an army major was martyred and four terrorists were killed in intelligence based operations in Balochistan. A day earlier, security forces said they had killed eight terrorists, whom they described as sponsored by India, in operations in Quetta, Nushki and Khuzdar.
The phrase “Indian sponsored terrorist outfits” reflects the position of Pakistan’s military and government. India rejects allegations that it sponsors militancy in Pakistan
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