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Pakistan's new army chief vows to continue anti-terror war

Xinhua, December 1, 2016 Adjust font size:

Pakistan's new Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa said war against terrorism will continue with focused approach and will be taken to its logical conclusion till the total elimination of terrorism from Pakistan, local media said early Thursday.

Bajwa made the remark on Wednesday, just a day after taking over command of the Pakistan Army, replacing Raheel Sharif.

" We will continue to move ahead of the gains already made so far," the army chief said during his first visit to field formations.

Bajwa visited North Waziristan tribal region where the security forces have conducted a major offensive against the Pakistani Taliban and foreign militants.

A local formation commander briefed Bajwa on the security situation in the region and resettlement phase of the displaced persons as a result of the militancy. Later, Bajwa inspected reconstruction work on ground.

The tribal region was under the influence of the armed groups but the security forces cleared the area with the operation launched in June 2014.

Paying tribute to brave tribes, officers, men of army, the border forces and the police, the general vowed that no terrorists of any hue will ever be allowed to come back.

He emphasized that defense and security of Pakistan against external and internal threat would remain his ultimate objective as the chief of army staff.

The army chief stressed the need for expediting the pace of new raising of the paramilitary force "Frontier Corps" wings to enhance an effective Pak-Afghan border management.

Pakistan and Afghanistan have nearly 2,600 km of border, mostly porous, and militants could take advantage of the loose border control to cross.

The army chief also visited the Corps Headquarters in Peshawar where he was given briefing about prevailing security situation in the terrorism-hit Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa Province, tribal regions, ongoing stabilization and combing operations, progress of return of displaced persons and continuing development works. Endit