Pak releases 'patriotic video' to mark Operation Zarb-i-Azb's first anniversary

The Pakistani army's public relations wing has reportedly released a patriotic video to mark the one year anniversary of Operation Zarb-i-Azb, aimed at flushing out militants from the country.

The four-minute clip opens with a re-enacted scene, where a frightened child is surrounded by militants pointing weapons at her. Another scene shows militants intimating tribesmen with their kalashnikovs. The video then cuts to Pakistani soldiers boarding military aircrafts and vehicles to reach the restive area and is followed by a gunfight between the soldiers and militants. The shootout is accompanied by songs and ends with Pakistani troops reclaiming territory infested with militants, reported the Dawn.

A military official said that the video was the brainchild of Director General Public Relations Asim Bajwa who wanted to "instil confidence" and tell the nation that they are safe. He termed the clip an extension of Bajwa's vision for "openness, truth, and reality".

A tweet posted by Bajwa said that the operation had killed at least 2,763 suspected terrorists, destroyed 837 hideouts and recovered 253 tons of explosives since it was launched last year.

The Pakistani military lost nearly 350 soldiers in the year-long offensive.