‘Hit them hard’: CDF Munir vows to continue campaign against Indian-sponsored outfits
PESHAWAR: Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir on Friday vowed that the armed forces would continue the counterterrorism campaign against Indian-sponsored terrorist outfits “to the fullest”, declaring they would be hit hard wherever they are.
The Asim Munir Peshawar visit brought him to the Corps Headquarters, where he was briefed on the security situation, ongoing counterterrorism operations, border management measures and the operational preparedness of formations deployed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Inter-Services Public Relations said.
The Peshawar Corps commander received the CDF on arrival. During the briefing, Munir praised the morale and professionalism of the troops and directed them to maintain “vigilance and the highest standards of operational readiness to effectively counter threats”.
Asim Munir Peshawar visit: tribute to the fallen
Munir also paid tribute to security personnel who laid down their lives in the line of duty. He affirmed that “with the support of the people, Pakistan will surely inflict total defeat on the terrorists and their perverted ideology”.
The visit came a day after he attended a meeting of the KP apex committee at the Governor House, where the province’s overall security situation came under review. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who chaired that session, said the federal government — which now runs KP under governor’s rule — would make every effort possible to “bring back” progress to the province.
The twin engagements underline how far the security debate in KP has moved. Governor’s rule in the province is now openly tied to counterterrorism cooperation, and federal ministers have been pressing the KP government on its counterterrorism role.
Violence-linked deaths surged 83pc in third quarter
The hard language matches the data. A recent report from the Centre for Research and Security Studies recorded a sharp 83 per cent increase in violence-linked fatalities during the third quarter of 2026, reversing the declining trend of the first two quarters as terrorism and counterterrorism deaths surged across the country.
Balochistan and KP remained the epicentres of violence, together accounting for 98 per cent of all fatalities in the period. Balochistan recorded 829 deaths, nearly 59 per cent of the national total, while KP reported 556 fatalities, more than 39 per cent. The report says the increased terrorist activity has pushed security forces to intensify counterterrorism operations.
The numbers are not abstract. A day before Munir’s visit, four policemen — including two officials — were martyred and two terrorists were killed in an exchange of fire in KP’s Karak district.
On October 19, an army major was martyred and four terrorists were killed during intelligence-based operations in Balochistan. A day before that, security forces killed eight “India-sponsored” terrorists in IBOs across the Quetta, Nushki and Khuzdar districts of Balochistan.
KP’s security toolkit is being rebuilt
Friday’s visit fits a wider pattern of the state rebuilding KP’s security apparatus. Detention powers under the Maintenance of Public Order law have been restored to deputy commissioners in the province, and Shehbaz Sharif recently told a meeting that terrorism in KP “must be stopped at all costs”.
Munir’s own diary has been heavy with security diplomacy. He recently met UN chief Antonio Guterres at GHQ in Rawalpindi, where Pakistan’s counterterrorism role came up.
Whether the renewed federal-military push cuts the violence numbers that climbed through 2026 remains to be seen. The message from Peshawar is blunt: the campaign continues “to the fullest”.
Sources: Dawn reported the CDF’s remarks.
FAQ
What did CDF Munir say in Peshawar?
Field Marshal Asim Munir vowed the armed forces would continue the campaign against Indian-sponsored terrorist outfits “to the fullest” and hit them hard wherever they are, during a visit to the Peshawar Corps Headquarters.
What is the security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa?
KP is one of two epicentres of violence in Pakistan, recording 556 violence-linked deaths in the third quarter of 2026. The province is currently under governor’s rule, and the federal government has linked that arrangement to counterterrorism cooperation.
What did the CRSS report find about violence in Pakistan?
The Centre for Research and Security Studies reported an 83 per cent rise in violence-linked fatalities in the third quarter of 2026, with Balochistan (829 deaths) and KP (556 deaths) accounting for 98 per cent of the national total.
