Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad

Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad (Urdu: آپریشن رد الفساد‎, romanized: operation Radd-ul-Fasāda Devanagari: ऑपरेशन् रद्दुल-फ़साद ) is a comprehensive military operation initiated by the Pakistani military on 22 February 2017 (INC: 03 Saura Phālguna 1938), aimed at supporting local law enforcement agencies in disarming and dismantling terrorist sleeper cells across Pakistan. The operation was launched to address the persistent threat of terrorism and to build upon the successes achieved during Operation Zarb-e-Azb, which commenced in 2014 as a joint military offensive.

Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad
Part of the Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Insurgency in Balochistan, Sectarian violence in Pakistan, and the War on Terror
Date 23 February 2017 – 22 July 2024 Location Pakistan Result Operation Azm-e-Istehkam continues 375,000 intelligence-based operations conducted as of 2021 Terrorist group cells dismantled Major reduction of terrorist incidents Afghanistan-Pakistan border barrier erected New wave of terrorism in Pakistan since the fall of Kabul
Belligerents
Pakistan Government of Pakistan Ministry of Interior Pakistan Armed Forces Pakistan Army Pakistan Air Force Pakistan Navy Pakistan Police Counter Terrorism Department Civil Armed Forces Frontier Corps Pakistan Rangers Pakistani intelligence community	Taliban-aligned groups Taliban (major in the Durand Line border skirmishes) al-Qaeda Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan Jamaat-ul-Ahrar Lashkar-e-Jhangvi al-Alami Baloch Separatist groups BLA BLF BNA (2022–2023) BRA (2006–2022, 2023 as part of BNA) UBA (2013–2022, 2023 as part of BNA) ISIL-aligned groups Template:Country data ISIL Islamic State-Khorasan Province Jundallah (From 2014) Template:Country data ISIL Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (From 2015) Tehreek-e-Khilafat (From 2014) Sectarian groups Sipah-e-Sahaba Jaish ul-Adl
Commanders and leaders
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar Interior Minister Mohsin Raza Naqvi Minister of Defence Khawaja Asif Defence Secretary Hamood Uz Zaman Opposition Leader Omar Ayub Khan Army Chief Asim Munir Chairman JCSC Sahir Shamshad Mirza DG ISI Nadeem Anjum DG ISPR Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry Air Chief Zaheer Ahmad Babar Naval Chief Naveed Ashraf General of SSG Major General Adil Rehmani Governor of Balochistan Abdul Wali Kakar Chief Minister of Balochistan Sarfraz Bugti Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Haji Ghulam Ali Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur Former Mamnoon Hussain Arif Alvi Nawaz Sharif Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Nasirul Mulk Imran Khan Anwaar ul Haq Kakar Sartaj Aziz Khawaja Muhammad Asif Khurram Dastgir Khan Abdullah Hussain Haroon Shah Mahmood Qureshi Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Jalil Abbas Jilani Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan Ahsan Iqbal Azam Suleman Khan Imran Khan Ijaz Ahmed Shah Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad Rana Sanaullah Sarfraz Bugti Gohar Ejaz Khurram Dastgir Khan Abdullah Hussain Haroon Pervez Khattak Anwar Ali Haider Zamir ul Hassan Shah Ikram ul Haq Mian Hilal Hussain Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah Shehbaz Sharif Raja Riaz Ahmad Khan Qamar Javed Bajwa Zubair Mahmood Hayat Nadeem Raza Naveed Mukhtar Asim Munir Faiz Hameed Asif Ghafoor Babar Iftikhar Sohail Aman Mujahid Anwar Khan Muhammad Zakaullah Zafar Mahmood Abbasi Amjad Khan Niazi Major general Tahir Masood Bhutta Major general Mumtaz Hussain Muhammad Khan Achakzai Amanullah Khan Yasinzai Syed Zahoor Ahmad Agha Jan Mohammad Jamali Sanaullah Khan Zehri Abdul Quddus Bizenjo Alauddin Marri Jam Kamal Khan Ali Mardan Khan Domki Iqbal Zafar Jhagra Shah Farman Pervez Khattak Dost Muhammad Khan Mahmood Khan Muhammad Azam Khan Arshad Hussain Shah	Al-Qaeda Ayman al-Zawahiri † Saif al-Adel Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Abu Hafs al-Hashimi al-Qurashi Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurashi † Abu al-Hasan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi † Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi † Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi † Asadullah Orakzai † Jamaat-ul-Ahrar Omar Khalid Khorasani † Ehsanullah EhsanTemplate:Surrendered Asad Afridi † Shamsher † Muhammad Daudzai † Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan Noor Wali Mehsud Maulana Qazi Fazlullah † Qari Saifullah Mehsud † Sheikh Khalid Haqqani † Tipu Gul Marwat † Badshah Khan Mehsud † Naik Muhammad † Abdul Jabbar Shah † Button Kharab † Khawarey Mullah † Sarbakaf Mohmand † Muhammad Khurasani † Asadullah Pehelwan † Bali Khiara † Saifullah Babuji † Abdul Aneer alias Adil † Junaid alias Jamid † Khaliq Shadeen alias Rehan † Nooristan alias Hasan Baba † Chamtu Waziristani  † Sheryar Mehsud † Mufti Borjan † Uqabi Bajauri † Zakeeren  † Naik Rehman † Rafiullah † Ikramullah  † Ahmedi † Sadiq Noor † Aleem Khan † Abu Darda † Inqilaabi Mehsud † Khawaza Din † Jaabir † Hassan Alias Sajna † Khalid Ahmed † Liaquat † Safiullah † Zabiullah † Toor Hafiz † Hasan Alias Sajna † Cobra Mehsud † Nooristan alias Hasan Baba † Khushali † Chargh † Maulvi Zubair † Samiullah alias Sheena † Lashkar-e-Jhangvi Qari Mohammad Yasi † Balochistan Liberation Army Hyrbyair Marri Aslam Baloch Achu † Baloch Republican Army Brahumdagh Bugti Baluch Liberation Front Allah Nazar Baloch United Baloch Army Mehran Marri Lashkar-e-Balochistan Javed Mengal Balochistan Liberation United Front Brahumdagh Bugti Lashkar-e-Islam Mangal Bagh † Fazal Ameen † Jundallah (Pakistan) Abdul Haseeb Logari † Abdul Rahman Ghaleb † Abu Saad Erhabi † Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan Abdul Haseeb Logari † Abdul Rahman Ghaleb † Abu Saad Erhabi † Jundallah (Iran) Muhammad Dhahir Baluch Jaish ul-Adl Salahuddin Farooqui Sipah-e-Sahaba Awrangzib Faruqi
Casualties and losses
440+ soldiers killed 1,450+ Injured	7,000+ militants killed 1,319+ militants surrendered 2,000+ militants arrested 7,300+ suspects arrested 500+ executed after being arrested or surrendered
940+ civilians killed

The objectives of Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad include not only the elimination of terrorist threats but also the consolidation of security gains along Pakistan's borders. The operation involves active participation from various branches of the armed forces, including the Pakistan Army, Pakistan Air Force, Pakistan Navy, and Pakistan Police, along with other warfare and civil armed forces coordinated under the Government of Pakistan.

As of 2021, more than 3,75,000 intelligence-based operations have been conducted as part of this initiative. Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad has garnered significant recognition for its role in enhancing national security and countering terrorism, building on the groundwork laid by Operation Zarb-e-Azb.

Pakistan has faced severe challenges from terrorism largely due to its homegrown terrorism, its state-sponsored terrorism against the Republic of India, and geographical proximity to the historically unstable Afghanistan and the radicalisation that has permeated the region since the onset of the Soviet-Afghan War in 1979. The decision to provide land for hosting global jihadist movements in the 1980s significantly altered the social fabric of the country, leading to an enduring wave of terrorism that has persisted over the decades. The height of this radicalisation and terrorism was observed between 2006 and 2014.

A key operation in this campaign was "Operation Zarb-e-Azb", which commenced in June 2014. This operation effectively targeted and dismantled terrorist hideouts, training camps, and breeding grounds both in urban centers and remote areas.

Despite these successes, it became evident that Pakistan needed to establish a robust mechanism to ensure the continuity and sustainability of anti-terrorism efforts to solidify the gains achieved through Operation Zarb-e-Azb. The transition of military leadership was critical; following the retirement of General Raheel Sharif, it was recognized that the long-term success of the operation hinged on a leadership capable of managing the rehabilitation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the former Federally Administrative Tribal Areas (FATA), Swat Valley, and other regions bordering Afghanistan. This focus on rehabilitation was essential for restoring stability and preventing a resurgence of terrorism in these areas.

Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad encompassed a comprehensive approach involving Broad Spectrum Security (Counter Terrorism) operations led by the Rangers in Punjab, along with the continuation of ongoing military operations throughout the country. A significant focus of the operation was on enhancing border security management to prevent cross-border terrorism and illicit activities.

In addition to these primary objectives, the operation also prioritized countrywide disarmament and the control of explosives to mitigate threats from armed groups. The implementation of the National Action Plan served as a cornerstone of this operation, guiding the strategic framework for counter-terrorism efforts across Pakistan. This multifaceted strategy aimed not only to dismantle existing terrorist networks but also to establish a more secure environment through effective law enforcement and community engagement initiatives.

Etymologies

Radd-ul-Fasaad (Urdu: رد الفساد‎) translates to "elimination of strife". The term "Radd" means "rejection", while "Fasaad" is synonymous with the Arabic word "Fitna," which refers to "civil strife" or "discord". This nomenclature reflects the operation's objective of rejecting and eradicating the turmoil and instability caused by terrorism and extremist elements within society. The choice of this name underscores a commitment to restoring peace and security in Pakistan.

Background

In February 2017, Pakistan witnessed multiple suicide attacks orchestrated by the militant group Jamaat-ul-Ahrar under Operation Ghazi. Media reports confirmed the group’s responsibility for these assaults. The intensity of these attacks diminished following the killing of Abdul Rashid Ghazi, a key figure associated with the group, during Operation Sunrise – a military action by Pakistani security forces at Islamabad’s Lal Masjid.

Subsequently, other extremist factions escalated violence nationwide, prompting the Pakistani government to initiate Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad to counter terrorism. On 22 February 2021 (INC: 03 Saura Phālguna 1942), marking the fourth anniversary of this operation, authorities unveiled a comprehensive database documenting incidents of terrorism, military operations, and casualties recorded during the campaign. This repository serves as a detailed archive of security developments during that period.

Major terror attacks

January 2017 Parachinar bombing

On 21 January 2017 (INC: 01 Saura Māgha 1938), a bomb explosion occurred at a vegetable market in Parachinar, located in the Kurram Valley of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Pakistan. The attack resulted in the deaths of at least 25 individuals and left 87 others injured. Parachinar serves as the administrative headquarters of the Kurram Agency, situated near the Afghan border.

This tragic incident was not an isolated event, as the region has experienced multiple attacks in the past, including bombings in 2008, February 2012, September 2012, 2013, and December 2015. The recurring violence in Parachinar highlights the ongoing security challenges faced by the area, which has been plagued by sectarian tensions and militant activities over the years.

February 2017 Lahore suicide bombing

On 13 February 2017 (INC: 24 Saur Māgha 1938), a suicide bombing occurred on Mall Road in Lahore, Pakistan, targeting a large gathering of pharmaceutical industry stakeholders, including manufacturers, wholesalers, chemists, stockists, distributors, doctors, and pharmacists who were protesting at Charing Cross in front of the Punjab provincial assembly. According to sources from the Punjab Police, the attack resulted in the deaths of 18 people, including several police officials, and left at least 87 others injured.

The militant group Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a faction of the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban (TTP), claimed responsibility for the bombing. Following the attack, local authorities cordoned off the area to initiate investigations. Pakistani officials indicated that the assault was planned from Afghanistan, where the militant group has established sanctuaries. In response to the attack, Pakistani security forces launched Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad, which led to the killing of the attack's mastermind, Wajihullah, near the Afghan border on 23 February. This operation aimed to enhance security and counter terrorism across the country.

2017 Sehwan suicide bombing

On 16 February 2017 (INC: 27 Saura Māgha 1938), a suicide bombing occurred inside the Shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Sehwan, Sindh, Pakistan, during a time when pilgrims were engaged in Sufi rituals following evening prayers. The devastating attack resulted in the deaths of at least 90 individuals and left over 300 others injured.

The bombing was one of the deadliest attacks on a place of worship in Pakistan, targeting a site that is significant for Sufi Muslims who gather there for spiritual practices. Following the incident, security forces heightened measures across the country to prevent further attacks and protect vulnerable sites. The attack was later claimed by the Islamic State (ISIS), underscoring the ongoing threat posed by extremist groups in the region.