Director General Inter-Service Public Relations Lt-Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa said purpose of operation Zarb-e-Azb is to root out terrorism from Pakistan.
DG ISPR addressing to a press conference e as Zarb-e-Azb completed two years. To purge Waziristan area from terrorists the army began operation Zarb-e-Azab on June 24, 2014.
When the operation began Waziristan had become a no-go area which no citizen of Pakistan could enter, he said and added that during the operation about 3600 kilometer square area was cleared of terrorists. This included Datta Khel, Alora Mandi and Shawal Valley.
Asim Bajwa stressed before launching the Operation Zarb-e-Azb, security officials in Afghanistan and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) were taken into confidence.
The Afghan government did not pay heed to their advice, he told the presser.
The DG ISPR said that the Pakistan Army has paid a heavy price as well during the operation as about 480 of its personnel were martyred in the operation.
During the operation 992 terrorist hideouts were destroyed, he added.
Over 7500 factories which manufactured weapons and bullets were destroyed as well, Asim Bajwa said.
He said that in the two years of the operation in many areas the state has been able to establish its writ. “In many other areas army operations are needed.”
