Chief of the Army Staff General Raheel Sharif Thursday said the Pakistan Army would go to any extent for ensuring the security of Pakistan. 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 the 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 tricks of the enemy." He said terrorism is a very big challenge and Pakistan is the only country that has overcome it.
"Many other countries, including the Arab world, have been badly affected by terrorism and they could not recover from it." He said the way the turmoil of terrorism was controlled it could not be done anywhere in the world. "The way our forces took up the challenge, was exemplary." General Raheel spoke about the progress made during the operation Zarb-e-Azb.
"Whatever the world thinks, this is war of our survival and we will fight it like this," he said. The security of China Pakistan Economic Corridor project would be ensured at all costs, he added. He said there is no doubt about the fact that nobody is more hard-working than the people of Gilgit-Baltistan.
Referring to his recent visit to China, he said the Chinese leadership wants progress of 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," he said. The Army Chief said that a security division for the protection of CPEC project had been established in North and the same kind of division would be set up in 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 made during the operation Zarb-e-Azb, he said the evil nexus of forces 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 while 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 Pakistan Army is your army. Army is working for the well being of the nation," he said. He urged youth to never compromise on its dignity and honour as "You have a lot of potential to take this region forward." General Raheel Sharif announced start of work on a technical institute which will have capacity to train 350 students and in future upto 800 students.
A modern medical city will also be established for providing health facilities to patients including cardiac patients besides provision of medical educational facility, he said. He said a campus of National University of Science and Technology (NUST) would also be established in Gilgit while uplift of Jaglot-Skardu road would also be undertaken. Later, he interacted with the youth of Karakoram International University. Chief Minister Gilgit Baltistan Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman, members of the special committee on CPEC and parliamentarians attended the seminar organized by the government of Gilgit Baltistan and Karakoram International University jointly.
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