ISLAMABAD: Army Chief General Raheel Sharif today reiterated that US drone attacks are regrettable and must stop as they are a threat to the sovereignty and security of the country.
During an informal talk with reporters after his participation in joint session of the Parliament, General Raheel stated that drone strikes are deplorable. He vowed that there is no option of failure in ongoing war against terrorism. General Raheel Sharif, said that the successes gained so far in the operation would be consolidated.
“We have to maintain the victories of Operation Zarb-i-Azb. Terrorists will not be allowed to re-enter into areas cleared in South Waziristan and North Waziristan.” He said development and reconstruction was going on in North and South Waziristan. “The security situation in Karachi and Balochistan is improving,” said the Army Chief.
The army chief added that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a national project and must be completed at any cost.
The COAS further said border management with Afghanistan is also improving, and now the responsibility lies with Aghanistan as there are fewer checkposts on the other side.
The army chief and president also at the reception also informally discussed issues of national security at length. The reception was also attended by leader of the opposition Syed Khursheed Shah, JI chief Sirajul Haq, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Akrami Durrani of JUI-F, Special Adviser for Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and cabinet ministers, including Ishaq Dar.
Last week, during meeting with U.S. Ambassador David Hale at GHQ, General Raheel expressed Islamabad s serious concerns over the drone strike in Balochistan that targeted former Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour.
He denounced "such acts of sovereignty violations" as "detrimental to relations and counter-productive for the ongoing peace process."
The Army Chief insisted that "Pakistan's efforts, successes and sacrifices in fight against terrorism have been unparalleled."
