"We fully support free, fair and timely elections in the country. We have been supporting the present political set up during the last five years and will not get anything if elections were delayed." The DG ISPR said that there was a civil government in the province during the last five years and the decision to impose governor rule was taken after a complete political consensus. He, however, said that decision of not calling armed forces in Balochistan was also a political move although the military leadership was not reluctant to support the civil administration under article 245 of the Constitution.
Maj. Gen. Asim Saleem Bajwa also made it clear that it would also be a political decision if the provincial government was restored in Balochistan. About improvement of law and order situation in Balochistan, he informed that Frontier Corps (FC) had set up 19 additional posts in Qalat and Quetta divisions after January 10 to further strengthen the security situation after the Hazara Town incident. A targeted operation led by the FC and supported by the police and intelligence agencies was going on in the province, he added.
Rejecting impression of supporting any banned organisation, he said that armed forces were not in contact with any militant organisation including Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and fighting a war against all form of terrorism in the country. Commenting on the role of ISI, he said that it was operating within its mandate and during the last four months it had carried out 130 intelligence operations in Balochistan and prevented several terrorist incidents.
He especially mentioned an operation in which 39,000 kg of explosive material was recovered in the month of August last year. When asked about deployment of army in Balochistan, he pointed out that not even a single soldier was deployed anywhere in Balochistan during the last five years. To a question, he said that the country was in state of war and there was a need of a united and comprehensive response of all the institutions.
He also appreciated the role of media, foreign office and the military leadership for mature handling of the issue of Indian incursions on the Line of Control (LOC). Regarding extradition of Faqir Muhammad, he said, "Our Foreign Office is contact with Afghan Foreign Office for this purpose."