ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday asserted that terrorism would not be allowed to defeat Pakistan, stressing that the nation would continue its fight until all terrorist elements are eliminated, state-run APP reported.
Addressing participants from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) at a national workshop in Islamabad, the prime minister said Pakistan’s progress depends on the development of all four provinces. He noted that KP, a strategically important province, has made immense sacrifices in the war against terrorism and has been provided Rs800 billion over the past 15 years to strengthen counterterrorism efforts.
PM Sharif criticized the spread of lies and propaganda, particularly on social media, saying such campaigns poison the minds of youth and undermine the sacrifices of the country’s martyrs. He warned that attempts to glorify or justify terrorist narratives amount to echoing the voices of Pakistan’s enemies.
Highlighting KP’s frontline role in the fight against militancy, the prime minister recalled that millions of Afghan refugees were hosted by Pakistan, particularly KP, during the Afghan war. While this was a humanitarian duty, he said the aftermath included the spread of weapons and terrorism, claiming thousands of innocent lives across the country.
The prime minister said that by 2018, terrorism had been largely eradicated due to the sacrifices of more than 100,000 soldiers, law enforcement personnel, and civilians, following a national consensus to make no distinction between “good” and “bad” Taliban. However, he added that serious mistakes later allowed militants to regroup, damaging peace and economic progress.
PM Sharif said Punjab had voluntarily given up part of its NFC share to support KP and Balochistan. He reiterated that the federal government remains committed to equitable development, noting that Pakistan can only move forward if all provinces grow together.
He also outlined government initiatives aimed at economic stability, youth employment, education, and agricultural development, including scholarship programs and overseas training for agricultural graduates.
On foreign relations, the prime minister said Pakistan desires peaceful ties with Afghanistan but will not tolerate terrorism emanating from Afghan soil. He emphasized that decisive action had been taken when dialogue failed, adding that it is now up to the Afghan interim government to choose peaceful coexistence.
The session was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, Federal Ministers Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Attaullah Tarar, along with senior officials.
