2015 - Year of triumph against terrorism

Gen Raheel Sharif –A bearer of peace and hope


News Desk December 31, 2015

Pakistan has been facing the monster of terrorism head-on for more than a decade. A number of terrorist attacks targeted Pakistani citizens, armed forces personnel and damaged national assets and public property.

The armed forces, however, stood rock-solid against the scourge of terrorism and in June 2014 initiated a full-fledged operation, Zarb-e-Azb, to completely wipe out the menace once and for all. Within a year’s time, the army achieved successes and gains in this war. The year 2015 can certainly be called a year of success in Pakistan’s history.

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In North Waziristan, the Pakistan Army is busy in Operation Zarb-e-Azb with firm resolve. At this moment armed action is only being undertaken in areas adjacent to the Pak-Afghan border. Terrorist strongholds like Miranshah, Mirali, Boya, Daigan and Shawal have already fallen to the Pakistan Army, where hideouts, and arms and ammunition stores have been destroyed. It is said more than 3,500 terrorists, including foreigners, have been killed in ground and air assaults.

Ever since the start of Zarb-e-Azb, Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif has frequently visited North Waziristan and forward posts to lift troop morale. So much so, he spent days on Eidul Fitr and Eidul Azha with the troops in Waziristan.

The country has not become completely peaceful, but a comprehensive victory is visible ahead. Such a great triumph is certainly a result of Raheel’s courageous leadership and his key role. He has, no doubt, emerged a clearheaded general, a valorous commander of the armed forces and a professional soldier, who has conducted a highly successful operation, without wasting time, without discrimination and with malice to none.

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It is by virtue of this operation that the incidents of terror have decreased. The general infused hope and a sense of nationalism among the people, which resulted in the Joint Services Parade after a hiatus of eight years. Moreover, August 14 and September 6 were celebrated with full participation, renewed spirit and national enthusiasm.

The general not only took timely decisions, but also boosted the morale of the armed forces to new heights. This is the reason the general commands respect.

He is by nature very kind-hearted, and welcoming. He prefers mingling with his jawans. He visited those on the frontlines of Siachen, the Line of Control, Fata and elsewhere, while also braving natural disasters which have devastated parts of country.

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By virtue of his bold initiatives and courageous leadership traits, General Raheel is now being recognised as the most popular COAS in the contemporary history.  In a recent survey conducted in Pakistan, 87% of the population reposed fullest confidence in his leadership.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 1st, 2016.

COMMENTS (4)

S.R.H. Hashmi | 8 years ago | Reply As the strongest militarily, and the only nuclear power in the Muslim world, Pakistan’s armed forces must play a role befitting its status, even far beyond our borders, and not limiting it to participating in United Nations peace keeping missions. Also, having very close relations with Sunni states, and fairly good ones with Shia states through its policy of non-interference, Pakistan is in the best position to remove the needless friction between them which is doing great harm to the Ummah. By guaranteeing the territorial integrity of Sunni and Shia states, Pakistan can help remove their fear-based hostility towards each other. Participating in foreign missions will also be of great benefit to our own troops as it will broaden their outlook, widen the horizon of our senior officers and men, and make them realize that conquering Lyari, raiding Nine-zero, and snatching back tribal territory from the terrorists is not all there is to combat. And while concentrating on solving problems abroad, the army chief should also ensure that after doing excellent work in Karachi, and bringing a fair degree of peace to the city with the help of much improved performance by Karachi police, his officers avoid the temptation to get carried away with over-ambition – which some may see as excesses, discrimination and perhaps a spirit of revenge – and spoil the good work done so far. Both the head of government – Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and the army chief General Raheel Sharif must find a way to restrain Chudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Rangers respectively as this combination seems quite capable of doing much harm to the political climate in Karachi and Sindh.. So let us resolve not to start the New Year on a bad note subsequently taking it to the worst, especially when all this is easily avoidable and totally unnecessary. With the country facing so many threats internally, as also from external sources, sensible thing would be to solve existing problems, and definitely not to create new ones. Karachi
Disgusting | 8 years ago | Reply @Milind: Are you addressing USA? We are talking about terrorism that west spread around the world. Stop sponsoring terrorism. You destroyed Libya, Egypt and now you are aiming to do the same to Syria and Saudi Arab. Israel has survived amidst all this because this is your point of origin for all terror against Muslims.
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