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Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Friday termed good governance "quintessential" for the security and stability of Pakistan, during a press conference focused on the overall security situation in the country, particularly Balochistan.

"We have been saying this earlier also as a primary stakeholder in security that good governance is essential for the security and stability of Pakistan," he said, responding to Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi's remarks about the need for new administrative units in Pakistan. Without good governance, he stressed, none of Pakistan's issues could be resolved.

The DG ISPR linked the National Action Plan (NAP), with its 14-point agenda and consensus of all political parties, to good governance for its implementation, adding, "good governance is quintessential for Pakistan."

He noted that Pakistan's population is 240-250 million and still has four provinces, questioning whether this arrangement serves good governance. "That debate has to be sensibly done by politicians, by those in power, even those who have been previously in power, and those who are responsible to the people of Pakistan," he said, emphasizing that "the will of the people of Pakistan is superior." If an administrative reset is needed, it should be done "through constitutional methods, legal methods, and through political representatives."

Coverage Comparison

All coverage of this press conference, as reported by Dawn, focused on the security statistics and the DG ISPR's remarks on governance. The initial reports highlighted the intelligence-based operations (IBOs) and terrorism incident numbers, while later coverage expanded to include casualty figures, comparative data, and the DG ISPR's statements on Balochistan, external involvement, and the National Action Plan.

Key Claims

  • The military's spokesperson said that 40,348 intelligence-based operations had been conducted this year so far, covering operations by all security forces, including police, civil armed forces, intelligence agencies, and the armed forces. Most of these operations, exceeding 31,000, were carried out in Balochistan.
  • A total of 3,145 terrorism incidents had taken place in the country in 2026, with 1,971 reported from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 1,148 from Balochistan, and 26 from other parts of the country.
  • During this period, 2,084 individuals confirmed as terrorists were killed. The DG ISPR said this comes to an average of 10 terrorists killed every day, "which is the highest ratio ever." Security forces were undertaking nearly 200 intelligence-based operations per day.
  • 819 Pakistanis were martyred in terrorism incidents in 2026, comprising 303 army personnel, 194 law enforcers from police and civil armed forces, and 322 civilians.
  • 28 incidents of suicide bombing had taken place this year, "the majority of which were carried out by Afghan nationals [...] and people associated with their security forces."
  • Comparing terrorist casualties, 2,597 terrorists were killed in 2025 and 2,084 this year so far.
  • The DG ISPR said deliberate attempts were being made to create a perception that the situation in Balochistan was deteriorating, and that the fundamental issue in the province is elitism and sardarism, and the desire to maintain the status quo.
  • He alleged external powers are involved in terrorism in Balochistan, sharing a common agenda with elitists and sardarists. Propaganda is used to create a narrative of a sense of deprivation, lack of representation, and missing persons in the province.
  • The per capita budget of Balochistan is more than Rs75,000, which is more than any other province, according to the DG ISPR. Rs70 billion has been allocated to socioeconomic projects in Balochistan, and Rs24 billion for the Balochistan Special Development Initiative.
  • A commission formed to inquire into missing persons has received 10,901 applications since its formation.
  • 2.6 million Afghans have been repatriated to Afghanistan from Pakistan, with 600,000 repatriated in 2026.

Perspectives

Pakistan Military (DG ISPR)

The military's spokesperson, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, emphasized the importance of good governance for Pakistan's security and stability, provided detailed security statistics, and attributed terrorism in Balochistan to external involvement, elitism, and sardarism, while highlighting government investments in the province.

Interior Minister (referenced)

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi's remarks about the need for new administrative units in Pakistan were referenced by the DG ISPR, but no direct quote or further details were provided in the coverage.