RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Wednesday directed the troops to remain vigilant in the wake of recent terrorist incidents by miscreants.
The Army Chief visited Upper Dir Malakand Division where Corps Commander, Peshawar Corps, Lieutenant General Noman Mahmood welcomed the COAS, said an Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release.
The COAS was briefed on Stabilization Operations and Border Management. The Army Chief appreciated the performance of troops on border fencing in harsh, rocky and difficult terrain.
“Border security and border management systems are a true reflection of Pakistan’s commitment to peace.”
The COAS paid tribute to the soldiers for their efforts for peace in the region.
Later on, the COAS also visited the children and others injured in the Madrassa blast at Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar and inquired about their health.
On the occasion, the Army Chief said that Innocent children were targeted in APS Peshawar on December 16, 2014. On the occasion of Kashmir Black Day on October 27, he said that the enemy once again bathed the innocent children of the madrassa in blood to revive their dark history and nefarious intentions.
The children included a large number of Afghan refugee children, he added.
Yesterday, he said the entire nation showed unparalleled solidarity in rejecting the terrorists’ statement, and today we were united with the same spirit. Our grief was shared in all the times where the enemy was the same yesterday and today, he emphasised.
The COAS said yesterday, the nation rejected the enemy and defeated the terrorist ideology.
“Even today we are united and will fight it together. I have come to express my solidarity and determination, especially to share the grief of these children, teachers and families of the madrassa.”
The COAS said: “We will not rest until we bring the terrorists and their facilitators to justice.”
Both Afghanistan and Pakistan had faced terrorism in the last two decades. Pakistan opened its hearts and doors to the Afghan-refugee brothers, the Army Chief said.
“We always share the sorrows and joys of our Afghan brothers. The peace of Afghanistan and Pakistan is intertwined.”
General Bajwa mentioned that terrorism had no religion whereas their ideology was to spread terror and create an atmosphere of fear in the society.
He added that the attack on the madrassa was in fact anti-Islamic. “They [terrorists] target innocent civilians, including madrassas, pulpits, mosques, imambargahs, churches, temples, educational institutions and law enforcement agencies.”
Pakistan had always wanted peace in Afghanistan and would continue to co-operate fully, the COAS resolved.
The Afghan refugee brothers, he said, in Pakistan must also be vigilant and stay away from such hostile forces so that they did not intentionally and unknowingly be used in terrorist activities.
“Pak-Afghan border fence is a fence of peace. It is designed to prevent the illegal movement of terrorists on both sides of the border,” COAS said.
He said that both Pakistan and Afghanistan could not afford any instability and chaos in the current situation, as the consequences would be dire.
“Our hearts used to beat together and we are still connected. Comprehension and unity is the need of the hour.”
He said that we were striving to give a secure, stable and prosperous Pakistan to the future generations.
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