PESHAWAR: The Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif on Tuesday directed the authorities concerned to ensure return of the remaining Temporarily Dislocated Persons (TDPs) by end of the year.

During his visit to North and South Waziristan agencies, the COAS inaugurated various development projects and was briefed about the progress of return of TDPs, stablisation operations and development projects in Fata, said a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations.

The 84km-long Bannu-Miramshah-Ghulam Khan road funded by the USAID and constructed by the Frontier Works Organisation was inaugurated by the COAS. The road would serve as the shortest trade route to Afghanistan reducing the travel time between Bannu and the Ghulam Khan border post from six hours to less than two hours.

Gen Sharif inaugurates various development projects in North and South Waziristan agencies

Gen Raheel also inaugurated the Younis Khan stadium in Miramshah.

The statement read that the COAS commended the efforts of everyone involved in ensuring timely return of the TDPs with dignity and honour, adding that transfer of payment for the damaged houses in North and South Waziristan agencies was in progress but returnees in Khyber, Kurram and Orakzai agencies were yet to receive compensation.

Addressing a jirga, he said that operation Zarb-i-Azb had irreversibly eradicated terrorist networks in Fata, adding that the security for­ces had made considerable gains in operations and rea­ched close to the objective of eliminating terrorism.

Paying tribute to tribesmen of the area for their support to the security forces, the COAS assured that the Army and the government was determined to open avenues of prosperity for them and foster socio-economic development.

He also visited the Army Public School in Chagmalai and commended the faculty and students for maintaining standard education in the region.

Published in Dawn November 16th, 2016