Daily Times

RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif visited North and South Waziristan on Tuesday.

He was briefed about the progress of stabilisation operations, return of TDPs and development works in FATA. The COAS expressed satisfaction on the progress of return of TDPs. Gen Raheel also commended the efforts of everyone involved in ensuring their smooth and timely return with dignity and honour. He directed them to complete the return of remaining TDPs within the specified time – by the end of 2016.

As part of a comprehensive rehab and reconstruction effort, significant rehab projects were commissioned today. 84 KM long Bannu-Miranshah-Ghulam Khan road – funded by USAID and constructed by FWO – was opened for use.

This would become the shortest trade route to Afghanistan – time between Bannu and Ghulam Khan Border will reduce from 6 hours to 1.5 hours. With this road, 705 KM long strategic central trade corridor to Afghanistan has been completed for travel across the border up to Central Asia.

COAS also inaugurated state of the art Younus Khan sports stadium – with a huge crowd watching the inaugural match between FATA Eleven and Younas Khan Eleven. COAS expressed the hope that the enormous talent of FATA youth will be polished with upcoming educational and sports facilities.

While addressing the Jirga of tribal elders, General Raheel Sharif said that the Zarb-e-Azb operation had eradicated terrorist networks from FATA. He said that considerable gains have been made in the operations and the objective of eliminating terrorism from our soil is almost complete.

COAS assured the tribes that Pak Army and Government are determined to ensure all promises made for their socio-economic development are delivered to open avenues of prosperity and socio-economic turnaround. “We will give a secure and prosperous Pakistan to our future generations”, he added. Tribal elders thanked COAS for cleansing their area from terrorists, bringing peace and ensuring a quality reconstruction work.

Earlier General Raheel Sharif visited South Waziristan to see one of the newly opened Army Public Schools in Chagmalai and spent time with the children.

Speaking at the occasion, he applauded the faculty and the students for exhibiting such excellent standards of education in these areas. COAS appreciated the locals for their keenness to send their children to schools. The COAS emphasised the importance of education by saying that only education can help our future generations to prosper.

During the visit to Miranshah, Begum Raheel Sharif had a separately interacted with a huge gathering of local ladies. She appreciated their sacrifices and heard their issues related to resettlement.

Earlier COAS was received by Lieutenant General Hidayat Ur Rehman, Corps Commander Peshawar Corps.