Who is responsible for resettling militants? Journalist recalls conversation with Gen (r) Bajwa

Prominent journalist and TV host Mohammad Malick claimed on Tuesday that he had talked two to three times to former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa about the claims that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government had facilitated settling thousands of terrorists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

Speaking on his political talk show, the TV host, while responding to Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif’s inquiry about who allowed terrorists to settle in Pakistan, claimed, “I have talked about it two to three times with General Qamar Javed Bajwa.”

The journalist said that on being asked specifically about the resettlement, Bajwa responded that a plan was made to bring and settle 5,000 people, along with their families, in Pakistan; however, the plan was not entertained because Imran Khan’s government was ousted.

Malick quoted Bajwa as saying that following the removal of the PTI government, the plan could not move forward. 

In April 2022, Imran Khan was ousted as the country's premier in a vote of no confidence, which was presented by the opposition parties, including Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), and others.

After being removed from the office, former premier Imran Khan called the “move” a “foreign conspiracy.”

Speaking on national security on Tuesday, PM Shehbaz paid tribute to security personnel who sacrificed their lives in the fight against terrorism. 

He recalled that in 2018, former Prime Minister and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif had successfully eradicated terrorism, but it resurged due to certain forces. “Bringing back terrorists is the worst form of treason,” he had remarked.

The journalist's statement came hours after terrorists drove two explosives-laden vehicles into the perimeter of Bannu Cantonment on Tuesday evening in an attempt to enter the high-security zone, costing at least 11 people, including five women and four children, their lives.

A leading English Newspaper claimed that six assaulters were killed in the ensuing shootout, which took place in the jurisdiction of the Bannu Cantonment police station.

According to official sources, the explosions were followed by “an unspecified number of militants” during an attempt to infiltrate the camp, leading to a gun battle.

“The attack started at 6:30pm, minutes after Iftar. Militants fired RPGs and grenades during the attack; additional troops and SSG commandoes have been rushed to the area,” the statement added.

Sources also confirmed that 10 security men were among the wounded. The wounded were evacuated to the District Headquarters (DHQ) and Khalifa Gul Nawaz (KGN) hospitals in Bannu, while the injured troops were moved to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH).