ISLAMABAD: Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa has said that the nexus between terrorists in remote areas and their facilitators in urban centres will be severed.

This he said on Monday during a visit to the corps headquarters, Peshawar, where he was briefed on the state of security operations and the way forward in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly in Malakand division.

He appreciated the gains achieved during the counterterrorism operations and said the focus must remain on intelligence-based and combing operations.

He said the army would work with the government in introducing socioeconomic reforms in Fata and added that peace would pave the way for development activities in tribal areas.

The army chief reviewed progress on the efforts being made for improving border management.

He issued directives for expediting construction work along the border and for improving capacity building of the FC so that illegal crossing of border could be effectively checked.

Gen Bajwa was informed about concentration of terrorists across the border in Afghanistan and their planning for carrying out subversive activities inside Pakistan.

He said that for effective border management both Pakistan and Afghanistan should take measures on their respective sides.

The army chief stressed the need for an early and dignified return of displaced people to their areas.

Earlier on arrival in Peshawar, the army chief was received by Corps Commander Lt Gen Hidayatur Rehman.

Published in Dawn December 14th, 2016