COAS assures Balochistan people will prosper with upcoming projects

RAWALPINDI: Paying rich tributes to Balochistan’s people for their unconditional cooperation and support for the upcoming development projects, Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif Friday assured the former that they will be best served by these projects.

A statement issued by the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) here said the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) emphasized that the potential of Balochistan as a regional hub for trade in goods and energy will only be realized with a ‘whole of nation approach’ for its security and development.

He said this after visiting Turbat, Talar and Gawadar today where he reviewed progress of projects being constructed by Army Engineers as part of China- Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). 

Gen Raheel was briefed in detail about the law and order situation in Balochistan particularly in Makran division and progress on the ongoing development projects. He was told that overall security situation in Makran division had improved, and graph of militancy had declined considerably.

DG ISPR Lt-Gen Asim Bajwa also left a message about the trip on Twitter.

#COAS oversees part of under construction CPEC at Talar,Turbat.620 KMs out of 870 completed by FWO at amazing pace pic.twitter.com/2dU73mXczu

— AsimBajwa (@AsimBajwaISPR) January 1, 2016

The COAS paid rich tributes to martyrs of Army, other Law enforcement agencies and civilians who laid down their lives for security and development of the area.  

He said completion of these projects was directly linked with law and order situation of the province and vowed that the armed forces will take all necessary actions to help bring back normalcy.

The army chief expressed his satisfaction over steps being taken for restoration of peace in Makran Division and directed all concerned to take stringent security measures for the security of engineers and labourers, particularly for Chinese nationals working on Gwadar Port and other projects.

While highlighting the importance of under construction projects linked with the CPEC and Gawadar Port, he said all possible measures in coordination with civil government would be taken to make Gwadar a safe city for local and foreign investors.

Gen Raheel Sharif said these projects will transform the lives of people of Pakistan particularly Balochistan and bring prosperity to the region.

He appreciated army troops engaged in various development works particularly Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) for their ‘untiring efforts and sacrifices in construction of a vast road network across the length and breadth of Balochistan, against all odds, at an amazing pace’.