Zarb-e-Azb : ISPR brief on achievements of operation
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ISLAMABAD: (APP) Lt. General Asim Saleem Bajwa said the security situation was worst in 2014 when the operation Zarb-e-Azab was launched. There was a deadly attack on Kamra Airbase in 2012. Karachi Airport was also attacked. A total 311 incidents of mine blasts took place in year 2014 besides 34 major incidents of terrorism and 26 suicide blasts.
"Armed Forces are demonstrating zero tolerance against terrorism", the Director General ISPR said.
The areas of North Waziristan Agency (NWA) was literally a no go area due presence of a strong network of terrorists there, he said.
Armed Forces took into confidence all stakeholders including Afghan government before starting the operation. The main aim of informing Afghan government was to control the penetration of terrorists in border areas of Afghanistan. But, unfortunately, Afghan government did not cooperate, he mentioned.
He further said, Armed Forces also destroyed 992 hideouts of terrorists and removed 7,599 explosive mines in Khyber Agency. The forces seized 35,310 rockets and 253 tons explosive material which was enough for carrying bomb blasts for 21 years, having the capacity to target about 134,000 persons.
After clearing the troubled areas, Armed Forces started rehabilitation work, he said adding, the government was planning to secure 2,600 kilometers porous Pak-Afghan border. The government decided to establish 18 crossing points and constructing gates at the border and only those have proper legal documents would be allowed to move either side of the border.
Talking about rehabilitation of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) of cleared areas, he said a total of 66 percent IDPs had returned to their native towns and remaining 34,000 IDPs would go back to there areas by the end of this year, he informed.
The infrastructure of the cleared areas was also being rehabilitated rapidly, he said adding that 705 kilometers road network from North to South Waziristan Agency (SWA) have already been completed. A 75 km long highway from Landi Kotal to Torkhum has already been completed, he added.
A total of 137 water supply projects were initiated and out of which 131 have been completed while work is in progress on remaining six projects, he informed media persons.
Nine health related projects were devised including a Tehsil Headquarters hospital in Mir Ali, out of which seven projects have been completed so far. A total 32 projects in the field of education for female, construction of mosques and markets were planned for cleared areas of FATA and out of which 27 have already been completed. A cadet college and girls degree college were also constructed in Ladha, the Director General said.
