PM Sharif pledges to eliminate terrorism from Pakistan

He said that with the help of provincial governments and security forces, the government would eliminate terrorism in all its forms

As Pakistan reels from multiple incidents of terrorism, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reaffirmed his vow to eradicate the menace amid criticism from ousted premier Imran Khan on the government's "failure" to curb militancy during its eight-month stint.

Addressing a gathering in the Dera Ismail Khan district of the restive Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province on Monday, Mr. Sharif said that the menace of terrorism was on the rise and the state would crush it very soon, the Dawn newspaper quoted him as saying.

He said that with the help of provincial governments and security forces, the government would eliminate terrorism in all its forms.

Mr. Sharif said that a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) would be summoned in a few days to take stock of the security situation.

Commenting on the attack on a security compound claimed by the outlawed Pakistani Taliban (TTP) terror group in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Bannu district last week, Mr. Sharif said it was heart-breaking and added that the law enforcement agencies conducted a successful operation, killing all terrorists who had taken over the compound.

Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Khan, who wants snap polls in the country at all costs and is likely to dissolve Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies, lambasted the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government for its “failure” to rein in terrorism after coming to power in April this year.

During a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf meeting at his residence in Lahore, Mr. Khan, the chairman of the party, claimed that his government had “controlled terrorism and was proudly leading the country towards making it one of the world’s top tourism destinations”.