Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif said the Gwadar Port and China Pakistan Economic Corridor will usher in new era of hope and prosperity for the area with dividends reaching the common man.

He was addressing the officers and jawans of the southern command at Quetta on Tuesday. As part of his farewell visits, COAS arrived in Quetta and addressed officers and troops of Southern Command and Frontier Corps Balochistan. COAS said that the people of Balochistan had clearly rejected foreign sponsored terrorists and helped the state in busting their network. While paying glowing tributes to the officers and soldiers of Southern Command and Frontier Corps, COAS said now that the tide in Balochistan has been turned against terrorists and their sympathizers. We will continue to work with the provincial and federal governments towards greater security and stability. He said that as COAS, security and assistance to civil government in institution building and development work in remote areas had been his priority which brought him to Balochistan almost every month. COAS commended Southern Command for managing an arduous task of construction of over 1000 KM long road network in the rugged and hostile terrain by FWO and NLC which helped in operationalisation of CPEC in a stipulated time frame. COAS said that Gwadar Port and CPEC will usher in a new era of hope and prosperity for the area, with dividends reaching the common man. He also appreciated the Southern Command for reintegrating youth by their mass induction into FC/Army, rehab of earthquake hit Awaran and training of 6000 policemen and levies. He also appreciated the improvement in management of the long and treacherous border with Afghanistan and Iran which has helped improve overall security situation in the province.