Title: Agreement to Launch Military Operation Against Extremists in Pakistan

The Pakistani National Security Committee announced in a statement today, Friday, that its members agreed to "launch a military operation against extremists throughout the country to eliminate the threat of terrorism." In recent months, Islamist militants have intensified their attacks in Pakistan, especially since the collapse of negotiations with the Pakistani Taliban last year. This year, the group has launched a wave of attacks, including a suicide bombing at a mosque in Peshawar in the northwest of the country, which resulted in the deaths of more than 100 people, mostly police officers. Pakistan is at risk of defaulting on its debts, with a rescue program from the International Monetary Fund having stalled since November, amid a fierce political battle between the government and former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The last time Pakistan launched a comprehensive operation against Islamist extremists was in 2014, which cost billions of dollars and resulted in the displacement of more than one million people and the deaths of hundreds.