BAKA KHEL CAMP (Bannu) - Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Thursday said the government in collaboration with the army would soon launch a phase of reconstruction in the areas damaged as a result of the ongoing Zarb-e-Azb operation in North Waziristan.
Addressing the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) residing in camps here, the prime minister said the homeless would be rehabilitated with dignity and their youth would be imparted skill-based training to help them earn livelihood.
The prime minister said the people of North Waziristan had rendered great sacrifices by leaving their homes for a secure and peaceful future for the entire nation.
He said this sacrifice has helped in elimination of terrorists from their key hideouts in North Waziristan.
He apprised the IDPs about his visit to the Miranshah Bazaar earlier in the day where he witnessed the areas cleared by the army after wiping out the terrorists.
He also mentioned a 700-chamber compound which was used by terrorists as a haven to carry out their activities with weapons and explosives, before the launch of Zarb-e-Azb operation.
The prime minister said the damaged area would now see an era of development with construction of roads, houses, buildings and schools.
He wished Eid greetings to the displaced persons at the camp and prayed for ease in their lives.
Earlier, the prime minister was briefed about the facilities being provided to the people at Baka Khel Camp. Around 2,517 displaced families are residing in the camp who have access to clean drinking water, food, electricity, and other essential items.
The government has disbursed 15000 rupees to each family.
Earlier, in an unprecedented move, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif became the first elected prime minister to ever visit the war-torn North Waziristan Agency as he reached its headquarters in Miranshah to boost the morale of security forces fighting against terrorists.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif received the prime minister upon his arrival in Miranshah.
The premier was given a detailed briefing by the operation commander on the success achieved so far by the security forces in military operation Zarb-e-Azb.
Addressing army officers and jawans, the prime minister expressed satisfaction over the progress of the operation and lauded the sacrifices rendered by the military personnel in their fight against terrorism and assured full support for the complete success of the ongoing operation.
The prime minister said that the armed forces’ efforts in the war against militancy and extremism were evident and commendable.
“This is not a conventional war where the enemy is known,” the prime minister said and added “In such wars, the enemy attacks in disguise.”
“I am really glad to meet you all here,” the premier said. “I hope that we all live with unity and serve Pakistan.”
Nawaz Sharif said the whole nation was happy over the achievements of the operation Zarb-e-Azb. He said the nation was winning this war and the country would become safe as a result of that operation.
He said the army under the leadership of General Raheel Sharif was waging the war against terrorists in a proper manner. He said the war was being fought against the invisible enemy.
He also inspected the arms and ammunition captured by the security forces, which included rocket launchers, missile launchers and mines.
During the briefing, the prime minister was informed that 80 percent area of North Waziristan Agency had been cleared of terrorists. Miranshah, Datta Khel, Boya and Degan had been cleared of the terrorists.
The premier was told that the security forces had also unearthed an underground headquarters of terrorists in North Waziristan Agency which consisted of 70 rooms.
“The army is now engaged with terrorists in Ghulam Khan area near Pakistan-Afghanistan border. The army has sealed the border so that terrorists could not escape. About 1000 terrorists have been killed in the operation so far”.
The prime minister was flanked by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan, Federal Minister for States and Frontier Regions (Safron) Lt-Gen (r) Abdul Qadir Baloch and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, however, was not present.
Later, Prime Minister Sharif visited the local bazaar in Miranshah to see the hideouts of terrorist groups destroyed during the operation.
Accompanied by General Raheel Sharif, the prime minister was taken around various areas of the agency headquarters of North Waziristan and shown the operational and residential quarters occupied by the terrorists.
The prime minister visited the destroyed underground command and control centre being used by the terrorists to carry out operations in various parts of the country.
He also visited the bomb-making factory where he was shown the large gas cylinders that were to be used in vehicle borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs). Hundreds of people had been killed in such explosions in various parts of the country, the prime minister was informed.
The prime minister also saw the media cell used by the terrorists to spread their messages through social, electronic and print media. He also saw the place where suicide bombers recorded their farewell messages before going out on a killing spree.
He was also shown the weapons, ammunition, communication equipment, survival kits, suicide vests and medical equipment used by the terrorists.