Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif visited North Waziristan Agency (NWA) to celebrate Eid with the Pak Army troops fighting against terrorists and vowed that terrorists would not be allowed to return to the region.
According to reports, the operation commander briefed the army chief on the progress of Operation Zarb-e-Azb. The army chief expressed his satisfaction over the achievements and progress of the operation.
He paid rich tributes to the soldiers martyred and wounded during Operation Zarb-e-Azb, and lauded their sacrifice for the country’s defence.
While interacting with the troops, General Sharif appreciated their high morale, courage and determination in execution of the operation. He advised them to stay focused on speedy and skilful conduct of the operation against all terrorists.
“Now that their command and communication infrastructure has been disrupted, we will never allow them to return,” said the general. He emphasised that only with sustained focus of the entire nation, “we can jointly accomplish our objective of a terror free Pakistan”.
General Sharif also reiterated the need to strengthen border mechanisms to prevent any infiltration from across the border which could “undermine the effects of the operation”.
Later, the COAS visited internally displaced persons from NWA, living in camps in Bannu and acknowledged the cooperation and sacrifices rendered by the tribal brethren in the fight against terrorists. He also appreciated the troops and all other agencies involved in relief efforts for the IDPs.
The COAS assured the IDPs of the nation and army’s support in providing them relief and executing a resettlement plan for them, reiterating that “together we will bring peace, development and prosperity to the region”.
