GILGIT: Chief of the Army Staff General Raheel Sharif Thursday said the Pakistan Army would go to any extent for ensuring the security of the country. He said, “I can say with complete faith that we are moving in the right direction. We will leave no stone unturned to ensure security of the country.”
The COAS was addressing the concluding session of a two-day seminar on China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project here. He said, “We want to assure the nation that the country and its frontiers are totally safe. Whether it is Modi or RAW or anybody else, we fully understand the tricks of the enemy.”
He said terrorism was a very big challenge and Pakistan was the only country which overcame it. “Many other countries, including the Arab world, were badly affected by terrorism and they could not recover from it. The way our forces took up the challenge, was exemplary.”
Gen Raheel revealed progress was made during the Zarb-e-Azb operation. “Whatever the world thinks, this is war of our survival and we will fight it as such,” he said. The security of China Pakistan Economic Corridor project will be ensured at all costs, he added. He said there was no doubt that nobody was more hard-working than the people of Gilgit-Baltistan.
Referring to his recent visit to China, he said the Chinese leadership wanted progress on Gilgit-Baltistan similar to that in China’s city Urumqi and other regions. “I was impressed to see the progress of Urumqi in a short span of time. I have no doubt that we can make that kind of progress in our region too.”
The Army Chief said that a security division for the protection of CPEC project had been established in the North and the same kind of division would be set up in the South. This task, he said, was made possible through tireless efforts and commitment of the government. “Our commitment towards the completion of CPEC is visible,” he added. While mentioning sacrifices during the operation Zarb-e-Azb, he said the evil nexus perpetuating terrorism had to be broken. “We have to take action against crimes of corruption, and facilitators and financiers of terrorism.”
He said 22,000 civilians and 5,000 law enforcement personnel, including police, Rangers and FC Jawans lost their lives in acts of terrorism and 48,000 received crippling injuries. The Army Chief said he was fully confident that the youth would carry forward the mission of peace and prosperity. “The way youth welcomed me I want to tell them that the Pakistan Army is your army. The army is working for the well being of the nation,” he said.
He urged youth to never compromise on its dignity and honour as they had “the potential to take this region forward”. General Raheel Sharif announced the beginning of work on a technical institute which will have the capacity to train 350 students and in future up to 800 students. A modern medical city will also be established for providing health facilities to patients including cardiac patients besides the provision of medical and educational facilities, he said.
The army chief also said whether it was Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi or its spy agency RAW, they must know that Pakistan’s boundaries were completely safe.
“We have well understood the conspiracies [being hatched against Pakistan],” General Raheel said while addressing a seminar relating to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Gilgit on Thursday.
In his address on Indian Independence Day, Modi had said Pakistan would have to answer for its ‘human rights’ violation in Balochistan and the Pakistani side of Kashmir.
“We are aware of our enemies, know their tactics and to spoil their designs we will push the limits,” he said. He promised that Pakistan’s army was second to none and a battle hardened force.
