COAS promises peace from Gwadar to Chitral, Shawal to Bajaur

GHALLANAI: The Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), General Raheel Sharif, on Tuesday said peace would be established from Gwadar to Chitral and Shawal to Bajaur very soon and the whole of the Fata region would be cleared of terrorists.
The army chief said this during his visit to the Mohmand Agency where he received a briefing on the progress of stabilisation operations, including the ongoing development projects launched by the Army Engineers.
Speaking to officers and troops on the occasion, General Raheel appreciated their professionalism, dedication and sacrifices in fighting terrorism and bringing stability to the Mohmand Agency.
He emphasised on the need to follow a comprehensive and uniform reconstruction and rehabilitation policy across Fata after areas were cleared of terrorists. The army chief expressed the hope that such projects would help root out terrorism on long-term basis by providing education and economic opportunities to the youth.
Appreciating the tribal people for playing a significant role in expelling the terrorists from their area, General Raheel reiterated that they would never abandon these areas without fully restoring them to functional normalcy.
Referring to the recently-launched operations by the Afghan National Army in the area opposite to Mohmand and Bajaur tribal regions, the army chief hoped that such measures would help check cross-border terrorism incidents. He underlined the need to enhance border coordination.