Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Thursday said that the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) itself is not an issue, as the problems being highlighted are genuine and natural in the post-operation environment.
“PTM itself is not an issue. The issues being highlighted are genuine and natural in the post operation environment,” the army chief said during his visit to Peshawar according to a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). “However, few individuals playing in foreign hands are by design exploiting sentiments of the people who have actually suffered at the hands of terrorism and now need care,” he added.
The chief of army staff said Pakistani nation and its armed forces have done a great job in their fight against terrorism. “It’s now time to have its dividends through socio-economic development in which education is the most important,” he said.
The army chief said that Pakistan is blessed with dynamic and talented youth and future of Pakistan belongs to them. He said that both government and the security forces are working to address genuine issues of the tribal people regardless of where they came from. “For us, progress towards enduring peace through socio-economic development comes first and we shall fail all inimical forces and their conspiracies trying to undo our gains,” the army chief said.