Ready to pay any price for turning dream of CPEC into reality: COAS

RAWALPINDI: Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif on Thursday said the armed forces are ready to pay any price to turn the long cherished dream of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into reality.The army chief said this while presiding over a daylong formation commanders’ conference here at the General Headquarters (GHQ), ISPR said. The meeting was attended by corps commanders, principal staff officers and all formation commanders.

The participants were given a comprehensive briefing on prevailing internal and external security situation of the country. The participants also held exhaustive discussion on professional matters.

The COAS in his address while underscoring multiple and complicated challenges faced by Pakistan, expressed his optimism, saying that Pakistani nation has been victim of terrorism for over a decade and sacrificed a lot. “Alhamdolillah, we have turned the tide primarily due to resilience displayed by the whole nation and professionalism of our armed forces,” he said.

Acknowledging the contributions made by officers and men towards making operation Zarb-e-Azb a success and now successfully transiting into final phases, he said that Pakistan Army will always come up to the expectations of the entire Pakistani nation. Expressing satisfaction on the pace of return of internally displaced persons (IDPs), the COAS paid tributes to valiant tribes for their unwavering support in fight against terrorism and emphasised on the quality and speed of rehabilitation and resettlement work in Fata for their dignified and timely return.

“We are aware of all hostility being perpetrated against the upcoming CPEC, which promises to transform the lives of people of Pakistan,” he said, adding that the long cherished dream will be turned into reality.