ISLAMABAD — Information Minister Atta Tarar has said that Pakistan has made significant sacrifices in the fight against terrorism, with thousands of lives lost during the conflict. Addressing a workshop in Islamabad, he said the country adopted an effective strategy against terrorism under the National Action Plan. Tarar said people from all segments of society had made sacrifices in the fight against terrorism and claimed that terrorism had been largely eliminated from the country by 2017. Referring to the Pahalgam incident, he said India immediately levelled allegations against Pakistan, but the Pakistani state responded with what he described as practical and evidence-based answers. He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had offered an impartial investigation into the incident, which, according to him, strengthened Pakistan’s position. The minister also accused India of involvement in terrorism in different countries and cited the arrest of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav in Balochistan as evidence of Indian involvement and facilitation of terrorism. Tarar said stakeholders had supported the state’s decision to intensify efforts against terrorism. He further claimed that during Marka-e-Haq, Pakistan defeated India not only on the battlefield but also on the information front. Emphasizing the growing importance of information warfare, the minister said that perceptions could be as influential as events themselves. He referred to reports in the Indian media about alleged attacks on cities and infrastructure in Pakistan, stressing the need to bring public perceptions in line with reality. He said Pakistan had faced terrorism threats stretching from Swat to Balochistan and southern Punjab and had tackled them under the National Action Plan. According to Tarar, the country achieved major successes against terrorism over the past two and a half to three years. Tarar stressed that Pakistan’s fight against terrorism involved not only security operations but also efforts to shape and communicate its narrative in an increasingly influential information environment.