Army chief for tapping Balochistan’s potential

Favours a civil-military approach to cement province’s status as regional hub for trade

Army chief General Raheel Sharif has said the potential of Balochistan as a regional hub for energy and trade will only be realised with a collective civil-military approach for its security and development.

Gen Raheel was speaking during a detailed briefing on Balochistan’s overall security and law and order situation at Headquarters Southern Command, Quetta, which he was visiting on Friday.

According to a statement issued by the military’s media wing, ISPR, both civil and military officials, including Balochistan’s chief secretary, Frontier Corps inspector general and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) director general, were present at the briefing.

The army chief was apprised that the law and order situation in Balochistan had improved and crime rate in the province was on the decline due to successful, across the board and targeted operations by the FC and police against terrorists, criminals and those involved in sectarian violence.

General Raheel commended the FC and other law enforcement agencies for bringing noticeable improvement in the law and order situation of the province. He assured all-out support to the provincial government and people of Balochistan in their quest for durable peace, development and prosperity.

The army chief also welcomed those who have decided to give up violence and are laying down their arms. He said it is very encouraging that insurgents are gradually coming back to the national mainstream.

“All support will be rendered to rehabilitate them so that they could lead a peaceful and productive life,” the statement quoted him as saying.

He particularly appreciated Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) for their “untiring efforts in construction of roads network across the length and breadth of Balochistan against all odds”. The army chief also directed them to ensure quality of construction and timely completion of these development projects.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 11^th, 2015.