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LAHORE: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said the nation will have to win the war against terrorism for the survival of future generations.
Addressing the passing out parade of the first batch of Counter-Terrorism Force (CTF) at the Elite Police Training School, Bedian, on Saturday, he said: “It is our responsibility to rid the nation of terrorism. We have to win the war against terrorism at any cost for the survival of our economy and future generations.”
Army chief Gen Raheel Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Lahore Corps Commander Lt Gen Naveed Zaman, Punjab acting Governor Rana Iqbal, IGP Mushtaq Sukhera and diplomats attended the ceremony.
“This war is the war of the whole nation. We have to rid of the menace of terrorism. By sacrificing their lives the Peshawar schoolchildren have strengthened our resolve to eliminate terrorism from our soil. We will not rest till the last terrorist is eliminated,” the premier said.
In his address, Gen Raheel Sharif said the army was committed to enhancing the capacity of all law-enforcement agencies.
“The army is fully committed to enhancing the capacity of all law-enforcement agencies in the country. The army has also greatly improved its capacity of training and the scope of this will be extended to the whole nation,” he said.
The prime minister expressed satisfaction over the resolve and unity shown by all national institutions in the war against terrorism.
He said the martyrs had set an example by sacrificing their lives that would prove to be a beacon for the nation. He condemned the terrorist attack in Shikarpur. “The incident has saddened the whole nation.”
He said the strength of CTF would be increased to thousands as such steps were part of the National Action Plan. “The army chief and I will visit Karachi and Quetta and ask them to set up such a force.”
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations, a total of 421 corporals, including 16 women, have completed their training course of nine months. A total of 1,182 corporals are being trained by the master trainers of the SSG and a police contingent from Turkey.
Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2015
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