RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif on Tuesday said that stability is returning to Pakistan as a result of army operations and that a peaceful environment in and around Pakistan is the army's "top priority".

The army chief's statement was posted to Twitter on Tuesday by Director General Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Asim Bajwa.

General Raheel was addressing army officers in Bahawalpur to pay his tribute to their resilience, professionalism and sacrifices in their ongoing operation against terrorism, the statement said,

DG ISPR quoted the army chief as saying that focus cannot be taken away from targeting terrorism in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and breaking militant links to the rest of the country.

General Raheel also said "no challenge is insurmountable", adding that the youth is Pakistan's "greatest asset" and must be "encouraged and honed".

Fata is a semi-autonomous tribal region in northwestern Pakistan. Fata's regions are also home to religious extremist organisations including Al Qaeda. Intensifying their efforts to counter militants, security forces upped their action in the region through operation Zarb-i-Azb, Khyber-One and Khyber-Two.

Read more: Army chief vows terror-free Pakistan for next generation

Last month, General Raheel called for making collective efforts to give the next generation a terrorism-free and prosperous Pakistan and to provide a conducive environment which could help them apply their knowledge and creativity to achieve optimum effects for national growth.