Army will work with govt. for development of FATA, says General Bajwa

Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa has said that the army will work with the government to ensure equitable development in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).

General Bajwa was at Corps Headquarters Peshawar yesterday where he received briefing on security operations and the way forward in FATA, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Malakand Divisions.

Appreciating the gains from counter terrorism operations so far, Bajwa said that the focus must remain on indiscriminate IBOs, combing operations for stabilisation and consolidation.

"The nexus between terrorists in remote areas and their facilitators in urban centres will be severed whatever the amount of effort and time," he said.

General Bajwa also reviewed progress on border management and directed all concerned to expedite construction work and capacity building initiatives.

He observed that for the optimum effect of sealing movement of terrorists or insurgents from either side, border management will have to be managed both by Pakistan and Afghanistan.

General Bajwa particularly placed emphasis on the return of Temporarily Dislocated Persons (TDPs). He said TDPs must be helped to resettle in their native towns.

Earlier on his arrival in Peshawar, General Bajwa was received by Lt Gen Hidayat ur Rehman, Corps Commander 11 Corps.