ISLAMABAD: Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa on Monday again emphasised upholding the rule of law and supremacy of the Consti­tution and underscored that the army was committed to its job of national defence and security.

Gen Bajwa, who had made a similar assertion while visiting the Rajgal Valley on Saturday, re­peated it while chairing a mee­ting of corps commanders at the General Headquarters (GHQ).

“COAS directed that efforts must continue, in concert with other elements of national power to defeat terrorism/militancy in order to establish rule of Law and uphold supremacy of Constitution,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said after the corps commanders meeting.

The army chief had earlier in Rajgal said that with “the full backing of the nation we are heading towards a normalised Pakistan where writ of state and supremacy of law would be second to none”. Gen Bajwa in a sort of rejection of the allegations of military’s involvement in the political developments said that he was fully satisfied with “Army’s commitment to national defence and security”.

Says army ready for national defence

Security

The meeting, the ISPR said, undertook a comprehensive review of internal and external security environment.

Gen Bajwa praised “high standards of professionalism” for the successful conduct of Operation Khyber-IV in inhospitable Rajgal Valley. He specifically noted that the operation has so far had minimal casualties.

The army chief while visiting the Rajgal Valley over the weekend had said that the professionalism of troops and effective aerial support from the Pakistan Air Force that targeted terrorists’ strongholds minimised military casualties.

Two soldiers were martyred in the operation that was started on July 16 to ‘forestall entry’ of members of militant Islamic State (IS) group from across the border.

The army says it had cleared 90 per cent area of the valley. It is said that the completion of the operation would pave the way for the return of displaced people and development in the region.

The corps commanders, the ISPR said, “acknowledged positive long term effects being achieved through Operation Radd-ul- Fasaad”.

On Afghanistan, the COAS said: “We look forward to a trust based mutual cooperation in this regard which can achieve the policy ends of enduring regional peace”.

Engagement between the two countries has recently resumed.

An Afghan military delegation visited Peshawar last Friday.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2017