Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif has made it clear that the army would not leave the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) without bringing peace, completing rehabilitation and transferring administrative control to an institutionalised mechanism. He was addressing the elders of Bajaur Agency and soldiers during his visit to the area.

According to ISPR, the top general offered Eid prayers with the army and FC troops in the agency. Tribal elders also joined the army chief and spent time with him.

The COAS also reviewed the ongoing stablisation operations, rehabilitation/reconstruction and measures to enforce border management along Pak-Afghan border in the agency. He commended the troops for their countless sacrifices and praised their high morale.

Talking to the tribal elders, the top general lauded their sacrifices in flushing out terrorists from the area. He also urged them to continue their support for keeping writ of the state.

General Raheel said the army would not leave until peace prevailed in the area, adding that the army would help the tribal people in their rehabilitation and transferring administrative control to an institutionalised mechanism.

Later, the tribal elders thanked the army and the COAS for flushing out terrorists from their area. They assured him of their support to security forces. They vowed that they would never allow terrorists to return to their respective areas.