Quetta blast an attack on judiciary, successes of Zarb-e-Azb: COAS

RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif on Tuesday directed military commanders and intelligence outfits to further intensify combing and targeted operations to eliminate terrorists and their sleeper cells from the country.

The army chief was chairing the Corps Commanders Conference held today at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. The meeting – which came a day after a deadly suicide bombing in Quetta claimed over 70 lives – was attended by all corps commanders and principal staff officers.

The forum expressed its deepest sympathies with grieved families and injured of the Quetta blast, according to a press statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR)

Participants of the conference were given detailed briefings on ongoing military operations and overall external and internal security situation in the country with particular reference to counter-terrorism domain, said the press release.

"This cowardly terror attack on Pakistan's judiciary, carried out in a hospital, is an attempt to undermine the successes of operation Zarb-e-Azb," said the Army chief speaking at the meeting of the military's top commanders.

He strongly stated that by adopting "a whole of nation approach, its valiant armed forces would not allow anyone to reverse our gains against terrorism".

Gen Raheel Sharif directed the commanders and intelligence outfits to further intensify the combing and targeted operations with full vigor to eliminate terrorists and sleeper cells.

He also directed his commanders to provide all necessary assistance to provincial law enforcement agencies "in their capacity-building through training, resourcing and planning so as to integrate them effectively in counter-terrorism operations".