Operation Zarb-e-Azb cost $1.9 billion for killing 3,500 terrorists
Agha Iqrar Haroon
Islamabad, Pakistan: The war on terror launched by Pakistan Army with operational name of Zarb-e-Azb cost $1.9 billion so far to Pakistan while 3,500 hard core terrorists have been killed in this operation.
Zarb-e-Azb was launched on June 14, 2014 by Pakistan Army after parliament-backed negotiations collapsed with hard core terrorist outfit Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Out of $1.9 billion, the cost of rehabilitation displaced people was $800 million; $530 million was for security enhancement and the operational cost was $270 million.
Pakistan Army shared information that over 300 troops have also embraced martyrdom in Operation Zarb-e-Azb only in tribal region of Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA)– a region believed to be a heaven for international terrorists to enjoy their lives with their families and raising children. FATA was virtually an independent global village of terrorists till 2004 when Pakistan formally entered the region with a resolve to establish state writ in the region.
The military circles indicate that the operation ‘Zarb-e-Azb’ has entered into the final stage but Army will stay and control FATA till year 2019.
Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesman Qazi Khalilullah on Friday told journalists that Pakistan alone spent $1.9 billion on operation Zarb-e-Azb. He said that
“There is no distinction between good and bad terrorists. Pakistan is committed to promoting peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan for the best interest of the two countries as well as the region. Pakistan fully supports Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process”.
Pakistan believes that it is fighting against 4th Generation Warfare (4GW). This 4GW is a conflict characterized by a blurring of the lines between war and politics, combatants and civilians and has an imposing characteristic that enemy proposes and promotes a specific philosophy and narrative accepted by masses and religion is usually used for such philosophy. Technically speaking, this is the same warfare that Pakistan and United States launched together in so-called Afghan Jihad against former USSR without engaging themselves directly in war and creating Mujahedeen as a tool for 4GW. This 4GW gave birth to several Islamic jihadi organizations that emerged internationally from Afghan and FATA Pakistan soil including Al Qaeda and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan.
