- Says Pakistan army is committed to root out menace of terrorism from the country
- Says son of CJ SHC, Owais Ali Shah recovered during operation of security forces from Tank
RAWALPINDI, July 19: Director-General Inter-Services Public Relations Lieutenant General Asim Saleem Bajwa has said the son of Chief Justice Sindh High Court Sajjad Ali Shah, Owais Ali Shah has been recovered during operation of security forces from Tank. He said three terrorists were killed result of operation of forces. He said abductors wanted to shift Owais Shah in Afghanistan through Western border. He said a splinter group of TTP and Al-Qaeda elements were involved in abduction of Owais Shah. The operation was carried out between Tank and Dera Ismael Khan. He said the driver of the vehicle was killed in result of firing of sniper of Pakistan army. He said two terrorists also tried to flee but were killed in result of security forces personnel firing. He said Pakistan army is committed to root out menace of terrorism from country. Briefing newsmen in Rawalpindi DG ISPR Asim Saleem Bajwa said Owais Shah was recovered through an intelligence-based operation after receipt of a tip that he was being transported to Afghanistan.
He said the vehicle of the terrorists was intercepted on DI Khan- Tank Road at about 02.30 in the morning on Tuesday. The driver tried to escape by diverting the vehicle to the other side of the road but a security personnel killed him on the spot.
Elaborating on Shah’s recovery, Bajwa said an ambush was foiled in Dera Ismail Khan at a checkpoint at Mufti Mehmood Chowk on the way to Tank.
Bajwa said a figure in a burqa was found in the backseat of the vehicle after a gunman from the security forces shot the driver and two armed militants in order to stop a suspicious blue Toyota Surf that refused to halt at the checkpoint. The burqa-clad figure was identified as Owais Shah, blindfolded, with his hands and feet chained and tape across his mouth.
“He was in a burqa. When we lifted it, he was under it and he had tape on his mouth. It was removed and he said ‘My name is Awais Shah and I’m the son of the Sindh High Court Chief Justice’. Security forces then took Shah to a nearby camp where we cut his chains.”
“This was a TTP splinter group with some Al Qaeda elements,” said Bajwa, explaining the affiliation of Shah’s kidnappers. “Intelligence agencies were working at a ‘surge rate’. There was a whole chain of people who were awake to make this operation a success last night and there is always some operation of this scale going on.”
He said two other terrorists also resorted to firing and tried to run away but the soldiers deployed there killed them. He said on search of the vehicle it was found that veiled and blind-folded Owais Shah was being transported to Afghanistan.
DG ISPR said weapons and ammunitions were recovered from the militants, including three AK-47 Kalashnikovs and 500 rounds, six grenades and some drum magazines.
Replying to a question Lt. General Asim Salim Bajwa said a splinter group of TTP was involved in the kidnapping of Awais Shah. He said there are also hints of involvement of Al-Qaeda.
To another question, he said earlier the kidnappers did make some demands but he would not divulge these at this stage for operational reasons.
He said the objective of high profile kidnappings and target killings was to spread terror and convey message. Asim Bajwa paid tribute to the steadfastness of the affected families. He said that the abductors made failed attempt to transport Owais Shah to Afghanistan. He said currently there is no place for terrorists to keep abductees inside Pakistani territory.
Asim Bajwa said that 19800 information based operations have been carried out in country, adding that many terrorists, facilitators abettors, financiers have been arrested. He said Pakistan army has started coming operations but the work is not yet over. He said the IBOs and combing operations will continue.
Asim Bajwa said writ of the state has been restored in FATA following operation Zarb-e-Azb. He said the army and security forces have achieved major successes in the operation but the task is not over.-Sabah
