Pakistan concerned over sanctuaries available to banned outfits on Afghan soil: COAS

ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir visited Peshawar on Monday where he laid a floral wreath at the Yaadgar-e-Shuhada at the Bala Hisar fort and offered Fatiha.

According to a press release issued by the Inter-Services Media Wing (ISPR), during his meeting with the tribal elders from Newly Merged Districts (NMDs), the COAS paid rich tribute to the sacrifices of brave and resilient tribals of Pakistan and appreciated their indomitable resolve for standing shoulder to shoulder with the security forces in defeating menace of terrorism.

“With the unflinching resolve of the nation, Pakistan is successfully countering terrorism to enable a stable and peaceful environment for socioeconomic development in the area,” said the army chief.

He said: “Terrorism has no place in Pakistan and the involvement of Afghan nationals in terrorist incidents in Pakistan is detrimental to regional peace, stability and deviation from the Doha Peace Agreement by the interim Afghan government.”

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According to the ISPR, the army chief further stated that “Pakistan has concerns over sanctuaries available to banned outfits and liberty of action they enjoy on Afghan soil. Pakistan will spare no effort to dismantle terrorist networks and protect its citizens at all costs.”

Tribal elders assured that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its ideology will never be acceptable to any tribe and they will continue to stand with the state through thick and thin, as per the media wing of Pakistan’s armed forces.

The COAS emphasised the potential of newly merged districts (NMDs) and the ongoing efforts in uplifting the socio-economic growth under the umbrella of Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC).

“Khyber Pukhtunkhwa is blessed with huge reserves of Mines & Minerals and beautiful areas for tourism which will certainly change the destiny of the area for the good of the people,” according to the army chief who also assured that “Pak Army stands with our tribal brothers and will never leave them alone as over the years they have given innumerable sacrifices for the peace and prosperity of the motherland. It’s time to develop all tribal areas and concentrate on youth.”

ISPR maintains that the COAS reiterated the resolve of Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps and LEAs in their fight against terrorism till elimination of the menace from the country. The army chief also showed resolve to ‘finish the peril of Narco (business)’ which is ‘becoming a lifeline for TTP’.

The army chief attributed the surge in Terrorism in recent past to ‘a futile effort on the part of terrorists to get the talks re-initiated’, however, ‘there is no option for these terrorists except to submit to the writ of state of Pakistan before they are decimated, if they persist on their wrong path,’ according to the issued handout.

It further states that the COAS reiterated that propaganda by inimical forces against Armed Forces of Pakistan, ‘will be dealt as per the Law.’

Paying tribute to brave tribesmen, officers and soldiers of Pakistan Army, FC, Levies, Khasadars and Police, the COAS vowed that sacrifices of Shuhada will not go in vain and complete peace will return to Pakistan, according to ISPR.