ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on Saturday visited Swat valley and reiterated that Army would continue to play its role in rebuilding the area and assisting civil administration in maintenance of law and order.

"Praying for martyred Maj-Gen Sanaullah Khan, Lt. Colonel Touseef Ahmed and Lance Naik Irfan Sattar, he paid rich tribute to them for their ultimate sacrifice and said that the whole nation would remain indebted to them," said an ISPR press release.

The mentioned army officers were killed in a roadside bomb blast in Upper Dir near the Afghan border on September 15. The Pakistani Taliban militants had claimed responsibility for the attack later.

Recounting the success of military operation in Swat, the chief of army staff appreciated the troops for successfully evicting the militants from Malakand Division.

Gen Kayani especially lauded them for their post operation role of settlement of internally displaced people (IDPs) back in their hometowns, reconstruction of destroyed infrastructure, and capacity building of civil administration including training of police.

During the last couple of years, a host of reconstruction and rebuilding projects have been completed by the Army in Malakand and Swat, helping bring normalcy in the area and relief to the locals.