COAS commends agencies for busting sleeper cells

PESHAWAR: The Chief of the Army Staff, General Raheel Sharif, on Tuesday appreciated the intelligence agencies for busting sleeper cells in the urban centres of the country.

Acknowledging the clearing of 650 square kilometres of an uncontrolled area in the final phase so far, General Raheel expressed complete satisfaction at the progress of the concluding phase of the operation in the remote mountainous Shawal Valley of North Waziristan Agency and vowed to continue operations till the total elimination of hideouts and menace of terrorism and extremism from the country.

The army chief visited the North Waziristan Agency and spent his day with the troops and tribesmen where security forces had entered the last phase of their fight against the local and foreign militants.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a statement said the military commanders briefed the army chief in detail about the progress of the ongoing Operation Zarb-e-Azb, the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and development as well as resettlement work initiated by the army in the tribal region.

Talking to the troops on the occasion, the army chief commended all officers and men for their courage, determination and spirit of sacrifice in the Shawal operation under harsh weather conditions and treacherous terrain. The military commanders also briefed him on the ongoing rehabilitation work and its effects on the socio-economic landscape of the area.

Satisfied with the pace of the rehabilitation work, he directed all concerned to further boost the pace to meet timelines and ensure a dignified and early return of the IDPs to a better built area.

Later, General Raheel interacted with tribal elders and recently returned IDPs, and assured them that the army will continue to remain in the area till the completion of the resettlement process.

Tribal elders paid rich tributes to the army for successful operations, and affirmed that with the help of the army, they will never allow these terrorists to return to their area.The army chief also laid the foundation stone of state-of-the-art Younas Khan Sports Complex at Miranshah for the youth, to be constructed by the army engineers.

Renowned cricketer Younas Khan was also present on the occasion. Later, he took a round of the Miranshah Bazaar and appreciated the army engineers for their dedicated efforts in executing quality construction work.The Miranshah Bazaar, which had been used by the terrorists as the centre of fighting and was damaged during the clearance phase of the Operation Zarb-e-Azb, is being completely rebuilt by the army to re-initiate economic activity in the area wherein new shops and markets will be handed over to the affected local tribes.Earlier on his arrival, Corps Commander Peshawar Lieutenant General Hidayatur Rehman received the army chief in Peshawar.