Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani. PHOTO: REUTERS
According to a Radio Pakistan report, Kayani said “the army is engaged in the area to bring peace and provide protection to the people so that they could live peacefully.”
Kayani was speaking during the inauguration ceremony of 50-kilometre-long road from Wana to Angoor Aadda.
The army chief further said that due to the efforts of the army, the operation against terrorists was completed in a month.
He went on to appeal to the people of the area - who migrated because of the military action - to return to their homes and resume their life.
General Kayani added that the government was working on a plan to ensure development of the area by providing civic amenities to the people and construction of roads to link the area with the rest of the country.
Trade corridor
The Pakistan Army completed the third trade corridor on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in South Waziristan Agency to improve the communication network and facilitate the people.
The road from Wana to Angoor Adda was completed at a cost of about $40 million dollars with the financial assistance of UAE.
Kayani along with UAE ambassador in Pakistan inaugurated this facility today.
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First and foremost, we send our heartfelt condolences to the friends and families of these fallen soldiers. We sincerely hope that their families will find the strength to deal with this tragedy. We take our hat off to those who continue to lay their lives down for the safety of their nation. Our sacrifices on both sides of the border prove our stance against terrorism in the region. We’ve lost thousands of brave soldiers in fighting terrorism. We are fighting the same terrorists and suffering at the hands of same terrorists. Our common stance against terrorism continues to binds us together. We will continue to support Pakistan in its fight against the extremist organizations. The seriousness of the situation requires us to put aside any differences that deter us from supporting each other. We hope to create a great working relationship that will prove beneficial in regards to our shared objectives.
Ali Khan
@ Reader Can we produce and elect leaders of democratic credential at par with Tony Blair?
.........The road from Wana to Angoor Adda was completed at a cost of about $40 million dollars with the financial assistance of UAE.........Cant we do ourselves? such sensitive areas should be done internally,,,may be we avoid foreign element! may be...
@MasoosWazir: There is no doubt that the Gomal Zam Dam is made out of assistance from USAID.We do not deny that but you would agree with the fact the its Army who is looking after it and made this dream a reality.Lets not blame Army for the mismanagement of WAPDA and co. Mehsuds were first offered to be a part of this project as they would get jobs and perks but they stayed out of it and then the Wazirs came in front and worked alongside the Army for this project.We owe it to the Army lets admit it. @man from kpk. Brother you do not seemed to be around.Army Officers at the rank of Colonel are leading the Offensives here. The latest example is the SHAHADAT of Lieutenant Colonel, Syed Imran Haider in North Waziristan. We better respect our SHAHEEDS.
@Ali: I just suggest that you visit that area for just once and see for yourself. The spacious road has been constructed by cutting mountains (at some places at even kilometeres a streach). Making a road through the barren hills of South Waziristan and make the heavy machinery reach there was daunting task which was well performed by the Army. PS: Not to mention the number of lives Army had to sacrifice to make this dream a reality as previously we had to travel through the area of Mehsuds which was not only long and ragged but also dangerous to travel especially at night.
50 km road, 40 million dollars.........you have no idea the kind of depravity being perpetuated by the army in order to earn money
maybe army should deploy the majors and generals in waziristan who are currently enjoying the lying on their fluffy sofas inside their luxurious villas !
Almost 6 year has passed since 2007 Offensive, followed by a full-scale military operation in South Waziristan October (2009). There are no signs of the restoration of a situation where the poor Wazirs/Mehsud can return home without fear.
What about the hype and claims that the area will be cleansed of militants?
If objective have not been achieved, the question arises as to what was the need for such an operations.
South Waziristan is known for cultivation of the best fruits/vegetables (apples, apricots, plums and tomatoes). Because of the road closure and army operations, the locals could not transport their fruit and vegetables to the markets in Punjab / Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
What if Kayani own area Gujar Khan and his brother Kami suffer the same way ?
Where US Blood Dollars given in the name of Tribal Areas have been saved ?
What if similar heavy financial losses are suffered by Pashtuns contractors (so called Nationalist from Wali Bagh, Mardan, Charsada) or those Liberal Fanatics living in DHAs, Malls Roads and Societies of Peshawar, Karachi, Lahore Islamabad ?
@saad its the continued and prolonged presence of TTP & Co. in pakistani cities which is causing the stay of pakistan army there. besides, if the FATA is part of pakistan, and it is a sensitive area, then why are you so worried about presence of army there? do you ever ask why the removal of army is required to start negotiations? did you ever ask why there is a bomb blast every week on innocent civilians (leave the attacks on armed forces out of this for now) despite the government offering peace negotiations if they stop these blasts?
@Reader: He says Army to be there till restoration of peace and the peace is what we all want. Let Army pull out of there and the Nation would face such horrific reprisal that all would just yell to send the Army back there. Bdw what he said was for the locals of that area who wants Army to stay there and protect them and i am one of them as we do not want the foregin fighters to come back to our area and play the same havoc again.Thanx to Army we have got a sigh of relief now.
Wazir Khan (Bannu).
@kanwal: We are a non grateful nation who has done worst things with their own patrons and benefactors. The story began with our Quaid-e-Azam and is in full swing till now. We can expect anything from our Nation especially a harsh attitude towards those who have laid down their lives only to make sure others can dwell well.
@Wazir Khan, the Gomal Zam is paid by USAID. WAPDA only mismanaged it, by doubling its cost by Rs. 4 billion. The total cost of 8 billion equally divided between Chinese & Turks contractors. Lets the truth be told as we pray 5 times a day & it takes the hypocracy away. The CSF is major chunk of our budget & it is paid for a reasaon.
If the civilian authorities cant even hold general elections on their own,quoting reasons of security, what can we expect from them.
Yet another good job of Pakistan Army.
Pakistan Zindabad Pakistan Army Paindabad.
If the civilian authorities cant even hold general elections on their own, quoting reasons of security, what can we expect from them. Yet another good job of Pakistan Army.
Pakistan Zindabad Pakistan Army Paindabad
@"Army to stay in Waziristan till peace restored: Kayani"
No. Army will stay until ordered to do otherwise.
If the civilian authorities cant even hold general elections on their own, quoting reasons of security, what can we expect from them. Yet another good job of Pakistan Army.
Pakistan Zindabad Pakistan Army Paindabad.
Agreeing with the bulk of the comments posted above, the establishment of the trade corridor and road network are imperative for the rejuvenation of the dilapidated region. Moreover, these measures will lessen the strain being experienced by Karachi today in terms of urban militancy and the economic hurdles arising out of the exodus from the North. That being said, a green light (not necessary a dictation) from the elected administration is an essential prerequisite to making any such public statements or taking any actions. It would also be advisable for the Pakistan Army to refrain from empire building and keep a check on its pathology of power for the sake of the country which it has sworn to protect; neither will the people be able to withstand another bout of our Army conquering its own state and neither should they have to. A cordial civil-military relationship is the most workable scenario and I still expect a great many things from Pakistan.
PTI has no objection on presence of thousands of terrorists but on army.
No one understands nor knows the ground realities in the Waziristan. The area had been deprived of even basic necessities of life, what to talk of luxuries. Its because of the Army's and the area people sacrifices that now a town like Wana not only has all the basic necessities of life including Schools, Cadet College, Medical Facilities but also the Gomal Zam Dam almost at the verge of completion.Never to forget the road network that Army had lain to facilitate the people of the area. Now fruit from orchards of Waziristan can reach in 3, 4 hours to D.I Khan which previously used to take more than 24 hours.Lets not forget the sacrifices paid by our Jawans and let appreciate what all they have done and are doing in the area for the betterment of people.
@Tufan Agha
Indeed it is not. But it must change.
@AliKuliKhan: You are too far from reality. Taking command from Babus is not the culture of Pak Army. Let it be loud and clear.
While Army is fighting terrorists, their other networks are continuously trying to demoralize the troops in battle & their families by hurting them emotionally. The biggest dent to the self-esteem of the families is being done by the Media and Judicial Cells of the Terrorists. Young people who are laying down their lives in the belief that there is nothing more sacred than their country, but on the contrary, the sacrifices are trivialized by the media houses, some politicians and Judicial cells of terrorists. The latest being the recommendations of CIED. COAS must give a stern message to the detractors
Every thing is too good mentioned above but when read it is funded by UAE felt demoralized what is this financial mess and how can we proudly stand.
He has no authority whatsoever to give statements like this. He is under the government not the other way round. I remember in 2006 Tony Blair showed door to British Commander for something same. This is also an example when people stay on their post for longer than what they deserve. Time for him to leave.
The Government of Pakistan was not appointed by the military but elected into office with a mandate for peace.. Sooner or later the legislators must undertake to nationalis its army an return them to their barracks. The State must allocate more resources to eliminate poverty instead of keeping a large army which proects itself from the citizens.
Rex Minor
Why in the world army's presence is a hurdle to peace process in those areas? Can any of the above PTI supporters tell me this? Let me ask again: we are not asking TTP and likes to get out of our cities and other parts of pakistan so the so called peace process could begin. But we need the army to get out of the waziristan etc so they could be tempted to sit on the table? How does this madness, unfairness and complete apathy towards rest of the 99 % pakistanis work, who are not blasting themselves rite and left in the waziristan areas in response to all the bomb blasts and deaths we have endured? Somebody tell me this? @ET Pls publish this comment, will you?
In other words, till eternity. Because it is army's continued and prolonged presences that is the biggest hurdle in the peace process in those areas
The COAS has a mind of his own. No reference to what the elected members of the parliaments want. PTI wants the army out so that negotiations can begin. Secretary defense should have a word with his subordinate and advise him to wait for orders from the PM's house before making such announcements.
A very good, perfect and timely decision taken by Pakistan Army.
Good work done by army,
Hats off to Gen Kayani