Pak surgical strikes would become chapter in Indian textbooks: Gen Raheel

PESHAWAR: Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif said on Thursday the Indian claim of cross-border raids inside Pakistan was a drama and if Pakistan conducted surgical strikes, it would become a chapter in the Indian textbooks.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), General Raheel Sharif visited Fata and Peshawar, where he addressed officers and soldiers from the Pakistan Army and the Frontier Corps. He commended the soldiers for successfully smoking out terrorists from their sanctuaries in Fata and destroying their infrastructure.

“Alhamdolillah, with the support of the nation, we have completed the cycle of counter-terrorism operations in such a unique and comprehensive way. Our stabilisation operations and resettlement phase are helping us consolidate our gains,” he said.

He also held a Jirga in Bara, where he thanked the local people for rendering full support to the Pakistan Army in cleansing their areas of terrorists and praised them for their audacity and steadfastness. “We have fought this menace of terrorism together over the years and it has woven us eternally in an unbreakable bond. I hope the relationship between the army and the nation will continue, even after I say goodbye to the Pakistan Army,” he said.

Talking about his post-retirement plans, he said he would like to dedicate his life to the welfare of the families of slain soldiers.The COAS is set to retire on Nov 29 and was spending his last week as the army chief on farewell visits around the country.

The tribal elders expressed their gratitude to Gen Raheel for the army’s extra efforts in ensuring dignified repatriation of the displaced tribal people and the quality of reconstruction work being initiated in Fata.

General Raheel also inaugurated a cricket stadium named after Pakistan’s flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Khan Afridi in the Khyber Agency.The former captain of Pakistani team was also present in the ceremony which took place in Bara, Khyber Agency.

The stadium, to be built by the army engineers, has been named after the renowned cricketer to honor him for his services for Pakistan. The stadium is being built as part of sports infrastructure to explore talent and harness youth from Fata.At the end of his day-long activities in Fata, General Raheel Sharif visited the corps headquarters in Peshawar and met the army officers and jawans.