Operation Azm-e-Istehkam () is a counter-insurgency operation launched by the government of Pakistan in June 2024. The operation was approved by prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, and planned to include not only military action, but also socio-economic uplifting efforts to deter extremism.
Etymology translates to "Resolve for Stability". () means "resolve", while () means "stability" in Urdu. The phrase Azm-e-Istehkam has been chosen by the government to emphasise onto the non-kinetic parameters of the operation aimed at socio-economic upliftment to counter extremism.
Background
Pakistan has been facing a looming Islamist insurgency in North-Western parts of the country since 2001 that came to haunt Pakistani state in an aftermath of 9/11 attacks. The al-Qaeda terrorists fled Afghanistan seek refuge in the bordering Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. The insurgency blew up in 2004 when tensions rooted in the Pakistan Army's search for al-Qaeda fighters in Pakistan's mountainous Waziristan area escalated into armed resistance. Pakistan's actions were presented as its contribution to the U.S. war on terror.
The situation in erstwhile FATA further complicated with the emergence of Tehreek-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Local Pakistani jihadi fighters that had previously fought Soviets, with support from Central Asian militant groups along with Arab fighters of al-Qaeda, in 2007 formed TTP.
The TTP emerged as one of the most lethal groups with the goal to overthrow Government of Pakistan in Islamabad and replace it with a Taliban-style government.
History of Pakistan's previous military campaigns Responding to the threat posed by the Islamists, Pakistan Army under command of General Kayani's tenure started to turn the tide in its war against terrorism. In order to contain the militants General Kayani launched series of military campaigns to recapture areas fallen in the hands of militants from 2007 to 2013 beginning with Operation Rah-e-Haq. The campaign that launched by Kayani ended with success of Operation Zarb-e-Azb in late 2016. Pakistan Army under the Kayani Doctrine was able to capture six tribal agencies and four settled districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa including Swat and South Waziristan, which were two strongholds of TTP.
The last operation Zarb-e-Azb was conducted by the Kayani's successor General Raheel Sharif to purge last remaining agency of North Waziristan from the clutches of TTP. Thus, Pakistan Armed Forces successfully recaptured seven tribal agencies of FATA and four districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa by conducting a bloody armed campaign from 2007 to 2016. +Military campaign by Pakistan Armed forces since 2002#CampaignDateLocationResult1Operation al-Mizan2002-2006North WaziristanStalemate between Islamic militants and Government of Pakistan
Waziristan Accord between militants and Pakistan Army Withdrawal of Pakistani forces from Waziristan Waziristan fell out of writ of control Government of Pakistan for 12 years since 2002 till Operation Zarb-e-Azb in 2014.Operation Rah-e-Haq25 October 2007– 8 December 2007Swat Valley and ShanglaPakistani victory
Led to the short-lived 2009 ceasefire Sharia implemented in Swat Ceasefire ended in the decisive Second Battle of Swat.Operation ZalzalaJanuary 2008-May 2008Spinkai, South WaziristanPakistani victory
Following the operation, the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) offered a truce and peace negotiations resulting in a suspension of violence. In spite of the victory in the operation, on 21 May 2008 Pakistan signed a peace agreement with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Short-lived peace in South Waziristan.Operation Sirat-e-Mustaqeem28 June 2008 – 9 July 2008BaraPakistani victory
Pakistan Army gained control of strategic town of Bara on the outskirts of Peshawar. The Peshawar was secured from the threat of militant takeover. Destruction of LeI command and training centers.Operation Sherdil7 August 2008 – 28 February 2009Bajaur AgencyPakistani victory
Bajaur fell back under Government control Militant fled across border into Kunar Afghanistan Enduring peace in BajaurOperation Black Thunderstorm26 April 2009 – 14 June 2009 Swat Buner Lower Dir ShanglaPakistani victory
Districts returned to Pakistani control High ranking TTP leadership taken as POW TTP's control confined to four agencies of FATA, namely, North Waziristan, Kurram, Khyber and Orakzai. Mainland Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa secured. Enduring peace across Malakand division.Operation Rah-e-Rast16 May 2009 – 15 July 2009SwatDecisive Pakistani victory
Sub-Operation of Black Thunderstorm specifically targeted to flush out militants from Swat Swat returned to government control Multiple Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan commanders captured or killed Ensured long term peace in SwatOperation Rah-e-Nijat19 June 2009 – 12 December 2009South Waziristan AgencyPakistani victory
The military occupied the town of Kaniguram, a stronghold of former Russians fighters and Uzbeks led by the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. Senior Taliban, Uzbek, Russian, and Al-Qaeda leadership abandoned their posts and escaped to neighbouring Afghanistan On December 12, 2009, the military took the control of the entire South Waziristan into the government control. Pakistani forces established government writ in South Waziristan till Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Enduring Peace in South Waziristan2009 Khyber Pass Offensive1 September 2009 – 30 September 2009Khyber AgencyPakistani victory
NATO supply lines across Torkham border secured Trade route between Afghanistan-Pakistan secured on National Highway 5.Operation Khwakh Ba De ShamSeptember 2009-21 January 2011 Kurram Agency Orakzai AgencyPakistani victory
100% Orakzai and 90% of Kurram returned to Pakistani control Militants fled to white mountains of Afghanistan Pakistan border Sporadic militant attacks from white mountains continued in Kurram AgencyOperation Brekhna3 November 2009 – 20 December 2012Mohmand AgencyPakistani victory
Mohmand Agency fell back into the government control Leadership of TTP fled to Afghanistan Failure to kill or capture Ayman al-Zawahiri Enduring peace in MohmandOperation Koh-e-Sufaid4 July 2011 – 18 August 2011Kurram AgencyPakistani victory
Militants flushed out from white mountains of Koh-e-Sufaid on Afghanistan Pakistan border in Kurram Agency. Thall-Parachinar transit route secured at Kharlachi border. Militants fled across Afghanistan-Pakistan border Kurram Agency effectively secured from militant attacks originating from Koh-e-Sufaid range. Gains of Orakzai and Kurram offensive consolidated Militants continued to maintain presence in mountains of strong presence in Tirah ValleyOperation Rah-e-Shahadat5 April 2013 – 30 June 2013Tirah ValleyPakistani victory
Militants flushed out from Tirah Valley Headquarters of Lashkar-e-Islam destroyed TTP and LeI leadership fled across Afghanistan Militants continued to pose threat to Khyber Agency from across the border.Operation Zarb-e-Azb12 June 2014 – 22 February 2017North-Waziristan AgencyPakistani victory
The last remaining agency of FATA, North Waziristan Agency descended back under Pakistani control. The headquarters of TTP at Miranshah was destroyed. Pakistani forces recaptured last remaining valley of Shawal on Pakistan-Afghanistan border by early 2016. The civilians deaths from 3000 in 2012 to 600 in 2016. War in North-West Pakistan was reduced to low-intensity insurgency National Action Plan conceived to fight extremismOperation Khyber7 October 2014 – 21 August 2017Khyber AgencyPakistani victory
extension of Operation Zarb-e-Azb Area from Bara till the border of Tirah Valley returned to government control under Operation Khyber-1 Under Operation Khyber-2 the main Tirah Valley cleared and returned under government control by 15 June 2015, marking the first anniversary of Operation Zarb-e-Azb Area beyond Tirah Valley returned to government control under Khyber-3 that ended in July 2017 The last valley in Tirah, Rajgal Valley, located on Pakistan-Afghanistan border, was recaptured and secured by 21 August 2017. With success of Operation Khyber three agencies of FATA namely, Kurram, Khyber and Orakzai agencies were successfully secured from all sides. By mid-2017 more or less Government of Pakistan reestablished its authority over more or less 98% of the lost erstwhile FATA. Fencing work began Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Ensured long term peace in Khyber, Kurram and Orakzai.Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad22 February 2017 – November 2022Across PakistanPakistani tactical victory Strategic failure
Unlike previous military campaign operation was not aimed at regaining lost territory but to purge Pakistan of sleeper cells that escaped across country 375,000 intelligence-based operations conducted as of 2021 Afghanistan-Pakistan border barrier erected with 1000 military forts to man the border. According to Delhi-based South Asian Terrorism Portal (SATP) 2019 was the most peaceful year for Pakistan since the time of start of insurgency in 2004, the suicide attacks in Pakistan in 2019 was decreased to 8 from record high of 85 in 2009. The seven tribal agencies of FATA merged into Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa for effective governance in 2018. Resurgence of New wave of terrorism since fall of Kabul in 2021Operation Azm-e-Istehkam22 June 2024 – presentAcross Pakistan and AfghanistanOngoing With help of military campaigns Pakistan Army was able to push back TTP into Afghanistan from where it continues to launch terrorist attacks on Pakistan. By 2014, the casualty rates from terrorism in the country as a whole dropped by 40% as compared to 2011–2013, with even greater drops noted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa despite a large massacre of schoolchildren by TTP terrorists in the province in December 2014. The reduction in hostilities eventually changed the conflict from a war to a relatively low-level conflict. However, massacre of schoolchildren in Peshawar and continues sense of insecurity forced Pakistani political leadership to draft National Action Plan.
National Action Plan 2014 and Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad 2017
On 24 December 2014, the Parliament of Pakistan approved a 20-point National Action Plan to counter terrorism and extremism, that had been chalked out by the National Counter Terrorism Authority. The decision was taken following a terrorist attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar. The plan was envisaged to undertake non-kinetic and kinetic measures to fight terrorism and extremism.
In line with National Action Plan, Pakistan launched Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad under its commander COAS Qamar Javed Bajwa. This operation was launched in order clean-off militants that escaped across country due to army's earlier campaigns in FATA. The operation was aimed at consolidating efforts of previous military campaigns.
Radd-ul-Fasaad vowed to tackle cross border militancy, purge sleeper cells in Urban Pakistan, flush of remnants militants escaped across country, and pursuit National Action Plan.The operation entailed the conduct of Broad Spectrum Security (Counter Terrorism) operations by Rangers in Punjab and Sindh, and by the Frontier Corps in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and focus on more effective border security management. Countrywide disarmament and explosive control were also given as additional objectives of the operation. The National Action Plan was pursued as the hallmark of this operation.
Radd-ul-Fasaad resulted in major successes in counter-terrorism.