Nawaipakistan.com

Zarb-e-Azb was a landmark military operation launched by the Pakistan Armed Forces on June 15, 2014, aimed at eradicating terrorism and restoring peace in the country. Conducted primarily in the North Waziristan tribal region, the operation targeted militant groups such as the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Al-Qaeda, and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), which had established strongholds in the area. The name “Zarb-e-Azb” refers to the sword of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
and symbolizes a swift and powerful strike for justice.

For years, Pakistan faced growing threats from terrorist elements that operated with impunity in the tribal regions. North Waziristan had become a hub for planning and executing terrorist attacks across the country. Efforts at peace talks failed repeatedly, and violence escalated, with attacks on civilians, military installations, and critical infrastructure. The brutal assault on Jinnah International Airport in Karachi in June 2014 became the final trigger, prompting the state to take decisive action.
The main objective of Operation Zarb-e-Azb was to eliminate terrorist sanctuaries, dismantle their infrastructure, and re-establish state authority in militant-controlled areas. The Pakistan Army, in coordination with the Pakistan Air Force and intelligence agencies, launched a coordinated campaign involving ground operations, airstrikes, and intelligence-based raids. To minimize civilian casualties, large-scale evacuations were carried out, displacing nearly one million people from the conflict zone.
The operation achieved significant success. Thousands of terrorists were killed, hundreds of hideouts destroyed, and large quantities of weapons and explosives seized. Areas once considered no-go zones were cleared and brought under government control. Major terrorist networks were disrupted, leading to a noticeable decline in terrorist incidents across the country. Zarb-e-Azb also laid the groundwork for later operations, such as Radd-ul-Fasaad, which aimed to consolidate the gains and
combat residual threats in urban areas.
Despite the military triumph, the operation posed humanitarian challenges. The displacement of civilians required urgent relief efforts, and the government worked with aid organizations to ensure the rehabilitation and safe return of affected families. Infrastructure was rebuilt, and schools, hospitals, and roads were restored to help normalize life in the region.
Zarb-e-Azb not only demonstrated Pakistan’s resolve to defeat terrorism but also strengthened national unity. It marked a shift from reactive measures to proactive strategies in dealing with militancy. The success of the operation was seen as a turning
point, boosting public confidence in the armed forces and the country’s ability to ensure internal security.
For the first time, the Pakistani military implemented a military strategy called “Seek, Destroy, Clear, Hold.” The Pakistani military will seek the target. Once found, it will be destroyed. When destroyed, the infrastructure, bodies and weapons will be cleared and the area will be held both during this time and after its completion to ensure post-operation security and infrastructure rebuilding and/or area rehabilitation. The Seek and destroy component is from the Vietnam War whereas the Clear and hold component is from the Iraq War. The Pakistani military combined the two doctrines as
a single doctrine for the operation to be successful.
Peace negotiations with the Taliban were announced by Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif after his election,although previous attempts to engage TTP in dialogue had failed. The first session of talks, between committees appointed by the Pakistani Government and the Taliban, was held on 26 March 2014 at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House in Islamabad.The Taliban did not name representatives from their ranks, instead nominating pro-Taliban religious figures to present their views.The terrorists called for the implementation of Sharia in Pakistan; the Government of Pakistan demanded the cessation of hostilities, insisting that talks be held within the framework of the Pakistani constitution. A month-long ceasefire was reached on 1 March 2014.
Besides the meetings at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House, negotiations also involved helicopter travel by government representatives to the areas under militant control near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. The government had indicated that stronger military action would be implemented if the talks failed.

Negotiations collapsed after the execution of 23 Pakistani Frontier Corps soldiers by the Taliban on 17 February 2014.[48][49] The soldiers had been held by the insurgents since 2010, and on 17 April 2014 the TTP formally ended the ceasefire. Taliban infighting since March 2014 killed more than 90 militants. The strife, triggered by differences between the Mehsud group (led by Sheheryar Mehsud) and another TTP faction (led by Khan Said Sajna), impeded the negotiations. The negotiations were irreversibly damaged by a terrorist attack on Karachi Airport for which the Taliban claimed responsibility and which killed 28 people (including security personnel).A Pakistani military official was quoted to have said, “The army is ready for an operation.”
Jinnah Airport attack 2014 Jinnah International Airport attack The operation began one week after a terrorist attack on Pakistan’s busiest airport. On 8 June 2014, 10 militants from the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and TTP attacked Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, killing 28 people including security personnel and wounding at least 18.
In retaliation, the Pakistani military launched a series of air-strikes targeting terrorist hideouts in the areas bordering Afghanistan. At least 25 militants were killed on 10 June. The figure also included foreign militants killed. Two drone attacks on 12 June killed Uzbek, Afghan and local militants. On 15 June the Pakistani military intensified air-strikes and bombed eight foreign militant hideouts, killing as many as 140 militants (most Uzbek, including persons linked to the airport attack and airport attack commander and mastermind Abu Abdur Rehman Almani)
in north Waziristan
In conclusion, Operation Zarb-e-Azb stands as a defining moment in Pakistan’s fight against terrorism. It showed the world that Pakistan was serious about eliminating extremism from its soil. While challenges remain, the operation played a critical role in restoring peace and stability, and its legacy continues to shape Pakistan’s national security policies.