ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said on Wednesday that some political parties and workers in the country, intentionally or unintentionally, become part of terror networks. “Unfortunately, some political parties and political workers could, deliberately or inadvertently, become part of terrorist networks, ” Chaudhry said during a press conference following an intelligence-based operation in which security agencies busted a terror network allegedly providing weapons and having links to the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC). Chaudhry said that some government employees and politicians were allegedly supporting the terrorist-crime network. He further stated that terrorist training camps and hideouts are present in Afghanistan. These terrorists are attacking civilians and security forces in Pakistan in the name of “jihad” and dollars. The minister said that the prime objective of carrying out terrorist attacks is to destabilise Pakistan. “The menace of terrorism in the country could not be eradicated until the complete elimination of the terror network, ” he said, adding that this is possible through the effective implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP), fast-track justice, and the ongoing anti-terrorism drive. The minister stated that JAAC had been proscribed based on concrete evidence, and further investigations into the issue are under way. At the time JAAC was proscribed, questions were raised over the authenticity of audio clips linked to the group run on social media and mainstream media, he said. The minister said that security forces are conducting more than 200 intelligence-based operations daily, but the details of these operations cannot be shared with the media due to security reasons. Afghan soil is being used to carry out these terror activities aimed at destabilising Pakistan, he said. Chaudhry said that as a result of these operations, one network was busted and a person named Zia was arrested. Zia, a resident of Kashmir, has been working as a weapons dealer for various individuals for the last eight years. The state minister added that Zia was in contact with important members of JAAC and had provided multiple consignments of weapons on different occasions to the closest members of the banned group. Zia was arrested in an intelligence-based operation after security forces were targeted in a firing incident at Kashmir Mor. He said that the investigation revealed Zia was in contact with a person named Majid, who was an associate of Sardar Aman, a member of JAAC. During the press conference, an audio clip was played alleging a conversation between Zia and Majid regarding the transport of armed men and weapons. The minister said that Zia was also in contact with another individual named Zarshad, a resident of Afghanistan. Zarshad provided Zia with weapons through a carrier. The minister also played audio clips of conversations between Zia and Zarshad during the press conference. The minister said that another individual named Akbar, an employee of an important institution, was also found connected to this gang and was transporting arms from Bara to Azad Kashmir. Chaudhry said, “We previously claimed that these people would eventually expose themselves. ” He noted that they announced a long march despite 37 of their 38 total demands being implemented, adding that the march was declared shortly after the announcement of the election date. The main objective of the long march was to create an environment in which elections could not be held, as well as to promote a narrative that decisions about Kashmir are being made elsewhere, he said. He said that despite the announcement of the long march, a large number of people came out to cast their votes in Mirpur on polling day. The incidents of violence and firing that occurred in Mirpur on election day could not be dismissed as a mere coincidence, he said, adding there is a dire need to differentiate between political struggle and an armed group. The minister said that mobile phones, location data and other important evidence had been recovered from individuals allegedly involved in terrorist networks operating from Afghanistan to Pakistan. Terrorist incidents would not stop if convictions were not secured in cases where evidence was available. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
Some political parties, workers involved in terrorist networks: Talal
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