Army chief terms Quetta attack bid to undermine Zarb-e-Azb success

Gen Raheel says military will adopt ‘whole nation approach’ to ensure no one reverses gains against terrorism

A day after Quetta witnessed tragic deaths of tens of lawyers who became victims of a suicide attack, army chief General Raheel Sharif said the cowardly act against the country’s judiciary by the terrorists was carried out to undermine the success of operation of Zarb-e-Azb.

On Monday, at least 70 people, nearly half of them lawyers, were killed and more than a hundred wounded in a suicide attack targeting mourners gathered at a state-run hospital in Balochistan's capital city Quetta.



While presiding over the Corps Commanders Conference at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, Gen Raheel said that the army will adopt a ‘whole nation approach’ to ensure that no one reverses the gains against terrorism, a statement issued by the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said.

He directed the corps commander and intelligence agencies to intensify the targeted operations with full vigour against terrorists and sleeper cells in the country. The army chief directed for necessary assistance to the provincial law enforcement agencies in capacity building, resource, and planning in order to counter terrorism.



Participants of the conference were given detailed briefings on the ongoing military operations and overall external and internal security situation in the country with particular reference to the counter terrorism domain.