LAHORE - Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has reiterated the resolve to win the war against terrorism at every cost, linking it to the country's economic survival.
Nawaz Sharif said the whole nation has decided in unison that the war against terrorism ‘has to be won’ for preserving our society and culture. “Today, every citizen of Pakistan stands behind our armed forces and institutions. This war is the war of the whole nation,” he said.
All the national institutions are on the same page and determined to end terrorism as it is the matter of country’s economic and social survival as well as future of the next generations, he said while addressing at the passing out parade of the first batch of Counter Terrorism Force (CTF) at Elite Police Training School Bedian here on Saturday.
Army Chief General Raheel Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Ch Nisar Ali, Punjab acting Governor Rana Muhammad Iqbal, Lahore Corp Commander Lt-Gen Naveed Zaman and diplomats of different countries were also present at the ceremony.
The first batch of Counter Terrorism Force (CTF) comprising a total of 421 corporals including 16 females successfully passed out after completing their nine-month training. Around 1,182 corporals are being trained by the master trainers of the Special Services Group of Pakistan Army and Turkish Police Force.
The prime minister said public safety and law and order were among the foremost priorities of the government that was why the government had decided to raise CTF consisting of highly educated youth. He recalled that Elite Force had also been raised in his previous tenure that had earned great repute and performed crucial duties. He said the country needed such a highly trained force to rid the country of terrorism and CTF had been imparted training in special operations and intelligence services.
He said the government believed in transparency and recruitment in the Counter Terrorism Force had been made purely on merit. He said working of the institutions was undermined by the recruitment on nepotism. PM Nawaz Sharif said the corporals would be provided with latest equipment besides building their capacity to face the challenge of terrorism successfully. He advised the corporals to perform their duties in disciplined, responsible and impartial manner so that no criminal could evade their clutches and the whole nation could be proud of them.
The prime minister announced that he will soon visit Karachi and Quetta with Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif. He said they would meet with the political and military leadership of both provinces and evaluate steps taken to tackle terrorism. "To eliminate terrorism requires time but what matters more is a strong resolve and we - the political leadership and the armed forces - have this," he said.
The premier said that efforts at all level have been intensified to exterminate the cancer of terrorism. He said he did not face such serious challenges in his previous two terms as was his government coping with today. He said that besides Zarb-e-Azb operation by country’s brave armed forces against terrorists and their hideouts, the national institutions along with the people have effectively embarked on the mission to root out terrorism under the National Action Plan. “No one can defeat when the whole nation gets united to achieve a target,” he added.
The PM said thousands of Pakistanis including civilians and security persons laid down lives in the war on terror. He said “terrorist have once again hit us through Peshawar school carnage and recently in Shikarpur. We are not scared by these incidents and our morale is high and commitment is strong to eliminate terrorists and their hideouts”. He said the nation is determined not to come to rest unless terrorism is completely erased.
Nawaz Sharif promised that there would be no loadshedding and shortage of gas in the country when his government would complete its tenure in 2018. "We will overcome energy crisis during the tenure of our government. Pakistan will be back on the road of economic progress during our tenure," he said.
Later while talking to media, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said both Pakistan and Afghanistan stick to the commitments made during the visit of Afghan president. If both the countries abide by these commitments, the terrorists would find no safe haven in either country as well as in the region. About the judicial commission to probe alleged poll rigging, he said the government left no stone unturned and offered everything in this regard. He said despite reopening of polling bags, the PTI could not prove its rigging claims.