PESHAWAR - Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif Monday visited troops on the front lines of war in North Waziristan and urged them to eliminate all local and foreign terrorists and their sanctuaries.
According to the ISPR, the media wing of Pakistan Army, COAS General Raheel was received by Peshawar Corps Commander Lt-Gen Khalid Rabbani. The army chief was given briefing by General Officer Commanding on the ongoing Operation Zarb-e-Azb.
Talking to valiant troops in the middle of operation in Miranshah, he lauded them for their courage, dedication and high morale, and expressed his satisfaction over the progress achieved so far in the military operation.
The army chief commended the entire chain of command for their determined efforts in planning, preparation, mobilisation and execution of the operation. Alluding to the end objective, the COAS affirmed that terrorists will be chased and hunted down across the country till their total elimination.
He acknowledged and appreciated the support of the entire nation and avowed that “Inshallah with unflinching national resolve and clear direction, we will accomplish our mission and rid Pakistan of the scourge of terrorism”. He paid rich tributes to Shuhada and the wounded.
Paying tribute to IDPs (internally displaced persons) for their sacrifices to restore writ of the state, the COAS acknowledged the national spirit and support forthcoming for them from across the country. He reaffirmed that army will not abandon tribal brethren in their hour of need and all possible assistance will be rendered to the government and various private organisations in bringing IDPs maximum relief. COAS also assured of army’s role in rebuilding and restoring normalcy in the restive NWA.
Army is making headways deep into the badlands controlled by Taliban as the Operation Zarb-e-Azb continues with success. More than 400 terrorists have been killed so far. Heavy ammunition and modern weapons have been seized. Several IED-making factories have also been unearthed by the Pakistan Army.
According to ISPR, Operation Zarbe-e-Azb is continuing with great success in the North Waziristan Agency. Pakistan Army claims that most of the land has already been cleared and the rest will be recovered soon.
On the other hand, alleged indiscipline and disturbance on part of displaced people marred the registration process at a Peshawar centre on Monday, forcing the officials concerned to suspend the process for some time on the very first day of the opening of the centre. The process however resumed after a break at Peshawar Registration Centre, where the affected families living in Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera and other adjacent districts are being registered as IDPs.
The registration in Peshawar is being carried out by the Fata Disaster Management Authority (FDMA). FDMA sources told The Nation that lack of discipline and disorder on part of some IDPs from North Waziristan on the main gate of registration centre forced them to suspend the process for about an hour. Time and again the affected people were asked to maintain order and keep in their queues but they did not pay heed to the calls, they said.
The FDMA has set up the registration centre at Government College of Commerce and Management Sciences, Hayatabad, Phase 7. It has set up eight registration desks inside the college building and hundreds of people were registered on the first day as the registration continued until 3pm. It was witnessed that hundreds of tribesmen from NWA thronged the registration centre since early morning and waited for their turn in the sizzling heat for hours.
On the first day, only the displaced families from Miranshah were registered. IDPs belonging to Boya and Datakhel would be registered today; Mir Ali, on July 9; Dosali and Garyum, July 10; Razmak and Shawal, July 11; Ghulam Khan, July 12; while remaining families would be registered on July 14.
RS4.28 BILLION RELEASED
FOR IDPS
Staff Reporter from Islamabad adds: The ministry of finance has so far released Rs 4.28 billion for the internally displaced persons (IDPs) of North Waziristan Agency.
The ministry stated this in a report presented to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has started distribution of cash assistance among the IDPs through mobile SIMs. Each displaced family is being provided with Rs 8,000 under the provincial Ramazan package. Under this package, Rs 5,000 are being provided for food and Rs 3,000 for house rent. So far, 113 families have benefited from this package.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has vowed to continue the war against terror.
He was talking to Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and others who called on him in Islamabad on Monday.
Speaking about the internally displaced persons (IDPs), the Prime Minister said that these are our brothers and the government will provide all the facilities to them in this testing time.
Moreover, the Finance Minister, Ishaq Dar briefed the Prime Minister that so far Rs 4.28 billion have been issued for the North Waziristan IDPs.
Later, Chaudhry Saud Majeed, former member of National Assembly from Bahawalpur called on the Prime Minister. He presented a cheque of Rs 10 million to the Prime Minister for IDPs relief operations.