Army chief visits Peshawar Corps, vows to defeat terrorism

Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff, said on Tuesday that the armed forces remain resolute in defeating terrorism and ensuring lasting peace and stability across the country, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations.

He made the remarks during a visit to Corps Headquarters Peshawar, where he was received by the Peshawar Corps commander. The military's media wing said he was briefed on the security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, ongoing counter-terrorism operations, border management measures and the operational preparedness of formations deployed in the province.

The army chief commended the morale, readiness and professionalism of officers and troops and directed them to remain vigilant and maintain the highest standards of operational preparedness, ISPR said.

Field Marshal Munir also laid a floral wreath at Yadgar-e-Shuhada and offered Fateha, paying tribute to those who died in defence of the country and in the fight against terrorism. He said their sacrifices would never be forgotten.

The visit came days after an attack on the old Police Lines in Kohat killed 22 people, including 16 police officials and six civilians, and wounded 103 others. Police and security forces carried out an overnight clearance operation with Elite Force commandos and Counter Terrorism Department teams, and eight militants were killed, according to the Central Police Office. Security sources said the army joined the operation after Fajr prayers and killed the last two suicide bombers.

In the aftermath of that attack and other recent militant incidents, Pakistan conducted an intelligence-based ground operation and airstrikes targeting militant hideouts in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including in the border region with Afghanistan, the Ministry of Information said on Monday.

Pakistan has seen a surge in militant activity in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in 2021. A report by the Centre for Research and Security Studies said the two provinces accounted for nearly 96 percent of all violence-related fatalities in the second quarter of 2026, with KP reporting 61 percent and Balochistan 34 percent. Islamabad has repeatedly asked Kabul to prevent Afghan soil from being used for terrorism, but those commitments remain unmet.