Rawalpindi, Pakistan: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif has said that Pakistan Army would not leave tribal areas without bringing peace to this region.
While talking to tribal elders in Bajur Agency after offering Eid prayers with his troops and elders of Bajur Agency on today, COAS lauded role of tribal elder and soldiers to offer sacrifices in the war against terrorists.
According to a press statement issued by Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) of Pakistan Army, COAS also reviewed the ongoing stablization operations, rehabilitation/reconstruction and measures to enforce border management along Pak-Afghan Border in the Agency.
Tribal elders also joined the Army Chief for offering Eid prayers and spent time with him. While talking to tribal elders, COAS lauded their sacrifices in the cause of elimination of terrorists and restoration of peace in the area.
He also urged them to continue their support for keeping writ of the State which is now helping us bring about development and prosperity in the Agency.
COAS reiterated the resolve that Army would not leave without completing the job of bringing peace, completing rehab and transferring administrative control to an institutionalised mechanism.
It may be mentioned Pakistan Army has been fighting against terrorists in tribal areas of Pakistan since it launched Operation Zarb-e-Azb in June 2014.
Tribal areas of Pakistan were virtually out of the writ of the state where jihadis were living since Pakistan invited Jihadis from all of the world during Afghan-Russo Jihad in early 80s.
Tribal Areas of Pakistan fell to radical Islamists after the end of Afghan Jihad and radicals mostly from Middle East and Central Asia established their own unannounced Islamic state in tribal areas.
Pakistan decided to clean these areas after the formation of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) that waged war against regular Army of Pakistan.
Pakistan fell victim of its policies it followed in Operation Cyclone sponsored by United States, Saudi Arabia and Europe. Jihadis known as Mujaideen were trained how to fight against a regular army (of former Soviet Union) and then these Mujahideen splinted in several groups and their second generation launched their war against regular army of Pakistan.
