LAHORE: Pakistan is willing to help Afghanistan eliminate terrorist safe havens along their border areas, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa said at a security meeting held at the Corps Headquarters here on Tuesday.

While discussing recent exchanges between Pakistan and Afghanistan regarding the presence of terrorist elements on each side, the COAS said: “Concurrent blasts in Kabul and Lahore are a testimony of our stance that both Pakistan and Afghanistan are victims of terrorism and will continue to suffer if these actors are able to use Afghanistan’s territory with impunity.”

The army chief was also bri­efed on the Ferozepur Road suicide attack and recent updates on the Raddul Fasaad operation.

He expressed grief and offered condolences to the bereaved families and victims, and said: “Such incidents cannot lower our resolve to eliminate terrorism from its roots.”

COAS says both countries will continue to suffer if non-state actors use Afghan territory with impunity

He appreciated the role played by the police in maintaining peace in Lahore, and said, “The army fully supports and stands with police and other law enforcement agencies in their role as first responders.”

He said, “We are breaking connections between terrorist masterminds and their facilitators...We have fought against terrorism as a nation and the key [to successfully eliminating terrorist elements] is by reporting every suspicious activity to security forces.”

The COAS later visited the Lahore General Hospital to inquire after those injured in the suicide attack.

The blast, which occurred near Arfa Karim IT Tower on Ferozepur Road on Monday afternoon, has claimed the lives of 26 people, nine of them policemen. Another 54 were reported injured in the attack.

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2017