Wisal Yousafzai
PESHAWAR: Pakistan Army has completed 70 kilometer fencing at Pak-Afghan Border while it will reach to 180 kilometer in next year while CCTV cameras has been installed across the border to monitor all the entrances across the border.
This was said by General Officer Commanding (GOC) North Waziristan Agency Major General Azhar Abbasi while briefing Journalist at Miramshah.
The visit of North and South Waziristan was arranged by Inter Service Public Relation (ISPR) department where different print and electronic media persons were taken for visit to North and South Waziristan after the military operation in the area.
GOC Major General Azhar Abbasi further said that Pak-Army has installed 46 high resolution cameras to monitor the movement of terrorist across the border, adding that with fencing and CCTV cameras installation the attack on the border has been drastically reduced.
He informed that after the successful military operation Zarb-e-Azb number of check posts has been reduced from 35 to only five in the area, adding that now Pakistan Army with the support of agency administration was focusing on the socio-economic development of the area to empower the residents economically.
He further added that Army has handed over command to the Frontier Corps to monitor the bordering area as well as handed over all the power to civil administration in the area.
Journalists were further briefed about the monitoring centre in Miramshah which would not only monitor the CCTV cameras but also the entry and exit of individuals in the area. National identity cards of every person arriving in the area are scanned at the check posts, monitored by the centre.
It was further informed that area has been cleared from militants and now developmental work and socio-economic progress has been started in the area, adding that there is not “no go “area in the agency as all the area has been cleared while 98 % TDPs has returned to their homes.
Journalist were informed that around 4,488 security men including officers has been render sacrifices while 1,6091 were injured including disabilities, adding that huge ammunition weapons has been recovered by forces from the militants during operation.
Meanwhile briefing journalist in South Waiziristan Agency headquarter Wana Inspector General (IG) FC Maj Gen Abid Lateef said within a weak the service of cellular phones would be restored in the area.
He further added that South Waziristan Agency which was declared as the hub of militants and because of the successful operation of Pakistan Army the area was now cleared off the militants and the peace prevails in the area.
He informed that a number of terrorist were killed during Zarb-e-Azb operation while 3859 were injured, adding that during the operation 808 soldiers were martyred while around 2767 were injured during the operation.
Maj. Gen. Lateef said that monitoring of the Pak-Afghan border would continue through the use of radars and modern camera equipment.
About the fencing and monitoring of the Pak-Afghan border, he said that Pakistan had 151 check posts on the border, adding that 30 kilometers of fencing have been completed while work is continue on rest of them which will be completed soon.
Gen Lateef said 78 education and 11 health projects have been completed in the agency, in addition to 174 water provision projects also completed in the area. He also said that 81 parks and 59 markets have been built in the area.
He went on to say that the number of check posts in the agency has been reduced from 90 to only eight and the repatriation process of displaced persons is near completion. He claimed that Rs433.6 billion have been distributed among 18,464 families. Gen Lateef added that 98 per cent of the displaced persons have returned to the area while the remaining 2 percent would return before Ramazan.
They officers also served special visit to Journalist to Army Public schools and Orphan house. Pakistan army through FWO has established five Army Public schools including one for girl.
Pakistan army has also built an agriculture park in South Waziristan Agency where Pine seeds would be processed and would exported to foreign countries. After functioning of this unit Pakistan will become the second largest exporter of pine seeds after China.
Later the journalists community also visited the Pakistan Sweet Home build by the Pakistan army in Mir Ali Tehsil where 122 orphans children of the agency have been given shelter and education facilities.
The project was completed as a result of the joint efforts of the political administration of North Waziristan, Pakistan Army’s 7th Division and Pakistan Sweet Homes Islamabad’s head Zamurrad Khan.
Initially, the orphanage had capacity for 100 children, but later it was raised to 150.
