In meeting with president, army chief vows to eradicate extremist elements

• COAS Gen Bajwa briefs President Alvi on security matters.
• President pays tribute to martyred security forces personnel.
• “Nation is proud of the armed forces' sacrifices," Alvi says.

ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed has vowed to eradicate extremist elements from the country in his meeting with President Arif Alvi on Monday after the security forces killed 20 terrorists in Balochistan’s Naushki and Panjgur areas.

The civil-military leadership’s meeting took place at the President House, according to a statement, where the COAS briefed President Alvi on the operation against terrorists and the security force’s professional readiness.

The president paid a tribute to security officials who sacrificed their lives while carrying out operations in newly-merged districts of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to a statement by the President House’s.

Read more: Will eliminate all remnants of terror whatever the cost, vows COAS Gen Bajwa

“The nation is proud of the armed forces' sacrifices [...] despite all the troubles, the security forces have defended the country's borders,” President Alvi said during the meeting.

COAS meets PM

Separately, COAS Bajwa called on Prime Minister Imran Khan at the PM's Office, according to a statement.

Professional matters pertaining to Pakistan Army were discussed during the meeting, the statement said.

‘Imperative to break nexus between terrorists, sympathisers to defeat terrorism’

Two days back, COAS Gen Bajwa had urged that it is “imperative” to break the “nexus between terrorists and their sympathisers and support base” to defeat terrorism, said the military’s media wing.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the army chief passed the remarks while interacting with the notables and tribal elders of Panjgur.

In his interaction, the COAS lauded the tribal elders for their support to law enforcement agencies in the fight against terrorism.

“Breaking nexus between terrorists and their sympathisers and support base is imperative for defeating terrorism,” COAS reiterated. The elders of the area were also assured of the army’s “all-out support for creating” an environment for prosperity and development in the area, particularly in the “timely completion of ongoing socio-economic projects”, the ISPR said.

“Terrorists will not be allowed to reverse the hard-earned gains irrespective of the challenges,” Gen Bajwa said.

The army chief was in Panjgur on a day-long visit to spend time with the troops that repulsed a terrorist attack in Panjgur on February 2.