Army’s sacrifices secured peace: PM

CHERAT: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Thursday said peace in the country has been restored due to the sacrifices of the armed forces.The prime minister and Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Thursday visited the headquarters of the Pakistan Army's elite Special Services Group (SSG). The prime minister laid a floral wreath at monument of the martyrs. He was later briefed on the SSG organisation, its capabilities and performance, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

The SSG commandos demonstrated their skills and operational capabilities. The prime minister also fired some of the weapons used by the SSG. Addressing the officers and men of SSG, the prime minister lauded the performance of elite force and its contributions in the country's ongoing efforts against terrorism. Prime Minister Abbasi paid tributes to the martyrs of SSG and the armed forces whose sacrifices had brought peace to Pakistan.

Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir, Commander Peshawar Corps Lieutenant General Nazir Ahmad Butt and senior army officers were present during the visit. -- APP Our correspondent adds from Miranshah: General Qamar Javed Bajwa visited the security posts in North Waziristan Agency along the border with Afghanistan.

The army chief inspected the border fencing and was briefed about the security situation in the tribal region as well as along the Afghan border, officials said. Corps Commander Peshawar accompanied the army chief during the visit. General Bajwa laid a floral wreath at the monument of martyrs in Miranshah, the administrative headquarters of North Waziristan.

He was briefed on the construction work on fencing the border with Afghanistan, security and rehabilitation of returning displaced families to their native areas in North Waziristan and the ongoing uplift schemes. The army chief expressed satisfaction over the pace and standard of development work on the border fencing.

The COAS has been frequently visiting North Waziristan, where the military launched a major offensive named Zarb-e-Azb against the local and foreign militants on June 15, 2014. All the areas have now been cleared of the militants and development work is in full swing.