To achieve enduring peace: Gains of terror war to be firmed up, says COAS

RAWALPINDI: Marking the completion of three years of Operation Raddul Fasaad, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa said on Saturday that the Army is capable of thwarting any threat to the national security.

In a series of tweets, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Babar Iftikhar noted that the operation, which is a part of the war against terrorism, was initiated on this day in 2017. He said that the operation, which consolidated the gains of the past operations, indiscriminately eliminated the threat of terrorism and ensured the security of Pakistan’s borders.

Delivering the army chief’s message, the DG ISPR quoted him as saying, “Gains of 2 decades of WOT (war on terror) shall be consolidated to achieve enduring peace and stability both for Pakistan and the region. Army is aware and capable of thwarting all threats to security and sovereignty of Pakistan, irrespective of the cost.”

Attributing the success to the security forces, the Army spokesman said that the journey from terrorism to tourism was “backed by the entire nation and unparalleled success was achieved at a monumental cost paid in men and material.

“(We pay) tribute to our martyrs, our real heroes, our pride. We also salute our resilient nation in defeating extremists’ ideology and for unflinching support to the armed forces.”

Meanwhile, a weeklong Helsinki expedition, joint venture of Affinity and ISPR, culminated at Shogran on Saturday. More than 60 foreign skiers including high-level foreign dignitaries from different countries were part of the expedition to promote tourism and explore immense potential of Pakistan’s snow-clad mountains for adventure sports, the ISPR said.

The participating members included men and women from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Greece, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, UK and USA.

Earlier, on arrival, the group interacted with COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa. The expedition members also visited Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Directorate where DG ISPR Major General Babar Iftikhar briefed them about improved security environment in Pakistan for sports and tourism as a result of successful counter terrorism efforts.