Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad was launched on 22 February 2017 by the Pakistan Army, following the successful completion of Operation Zarb-e-Azb. The word “Radd-ul-Fasaad” means “elimination of disorder”, and the operation aimed to eliminate residual terrorist threats, dismantle sleeper cells, and reinforce the gains made in earlier counterterrorism efforts.

Unlike Zarb-e-Azb, which was a kinetic operation focused on North Waziristan, Radd-ul-Fasaad was a nationwide campaign. It involved intelligence-based operations (IBOs) across the country and focused on:

• Neutralizing urban terror cells

• Seizing illegal weapons and explosives

• Combating extremism and sectarianism

• Enhancing border security, particularly along the Pak-Afghan border

It was led by General Qamar Javed Bajwa, and coordinated with the Punjab Rangers, Frontier Corps, police, and intelligence agencies. One of the operation’s pillars was the de-weaponization campaign and community engagement through the Paigham-e-Pakistan narrative to counter extremism ideologically.

Radd-ul-Fasaad played a crucial role in reducing terrorist incidents, regaining public confidence, and restoring law and order in urban centers. However, experts stress that long-term peace requires institutional reforms, political stability, and sustained education-based deradicalization efforts.