Zarb-e-Azb Operation is in final stages; General Raheel

RAWALPINDI:(APS)- September 16, 2015: General Raheel Sharif, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) visited South Waziristan Agency (SWA) today and inaugurated multiple projects as part of a post operation comprehensive rehabilitation plan for FATA. It included UAE funded state of the art WANA cadet College Building for 500 children from Waziristan and rest of FATA. The college will be compatible with the  best Cadet Colleges of  Pakistan. The initiative will go a great length in propelling the local youth into professional colleges and change lives of their families. Later he commissioned 132 KVA Grid Station and a 54 KM transmission line at Wana as modern power infrastructure for the people of FATA as their long standing demand. While speaking at the occasion to a large gathering of tribals, COAS said these development projects would improve quality of life of common people, create job opportunities and usher this area into economic prosperity, which is our main objective.

COAS also visited DI Khan and inaugurated USAID funded 62. KMs DIK-Hathala-Tank dual carriage Road as part of the 705 KMs Central Trade Corridor linking this region with Afghanistan. The newly constructed road by FWO will reduce traveling time between two cities from 4 hours to 40 minutes. He assured the locals that entire rehabilitation plan will be fully executed and the IDPs will return as per plan to a  better and infra-structurally much developed region. The tribal elders thanked COAS for fulfilling promises, made to them of all development work.

COAS said that operation Zarb-e-Azb is in its final stage in the fewer left out pockets.  Pakistan Army with support of the entire nation has successfully evicted terrorists from the area. General Raheel Sharif appreciated the support of the tribal brethren in combating terrorism and acknowledged their sacrifices in the war against terrorism. He assured them that having paid the price for operational successes, terrorists would never be allowed to return and Army will not go back till job fully done. He urged tribals to continue supporting security and rehabilitating operations to achieve end objective of enduring peace and prosperity in these areas.