COAS lauds officers, troops for successfully unhinging terrorist sanctuaries in FATA

PESHAWAR: Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif on Thursday commended the officers and soldiers of Pakistan Army for successfully unhinging terrorists from their sanctuaries in FATA and destroying their infrastructure, an Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement said.

As part of his farewell, COAS visited FATA and Peshawar today. At Wana he addressed officers and soldiers from Army and Frontier Corps, the statement said.

“Alhamdolillah, with support of the nation, we have completed the cycle of counter-terrorism operations in such unique and comprehensive way. Our stabilisation operations and resettlement phase are helping us consolidate our gains”, the ISPR quoted COAS as saying.

Later COAS visited Khyber Agency and held a jirga in Bara. He thanked the tribals for rendering full support to Army in cleansing their areas of terrorists and praised them for their audacity and steadfastness.

He said, “we have fought this menace of terrorism together over the years and it has woven us eternally in an unbreakable bond.”

COAS also laid the foundation stone of Shahid Afridi Cricket stadium at Bara, to be built by Army Engineers.

The stadium has been named after renowned cricketer to honour him for his services for Pakistan and is being built as part of sports infrastructure to explore talent and harness youth from FATA.

Tribal elders paid their gratitude to Gen Raheel Sharif for Army's extra efforts in ensuring dignified return and quality reconstruction in entire FATA.

On arrival at Wana, Let Gen Hidayatur Rehman received COAS and accompanied him through his tour in FATA.