RAWALPINDI, May 2: Army chief General Raheel Sharif has approved a comprehensive plan to carry out combing operations aimed at pre-empting potential sleeper cells and hideouts of terrorists across the country.
The development comes two weeks after the military had announced conclusion of the Shawal operation.
Chairing a meeting of Corps Commanders at the General Headquarters, Rawalpindi on Monday, General Raheel also directed simultaneously enhancing the reach of local and provincial law enforcement agencies, said a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
The forum was briefed in detail about the internal and external security situation of the country and dwelt at length on operational preparedness, training and other professional matters.
The army chief lauded successful completion of the Shawal operation and paid rich tribute to the sacrifices of the troops of army, Frontier Corps and Rangers who are valiantly fighting war against terrorism to make Pakistan a safer place.
On April 18, announcing conclusion of a large-scale operation in North Waziristan’s strategic Shawal valley, General Raheel had directed to undertake large scale combing operation to seek out terrorists, their sleeper cells and facilitators in areas other than the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and enhance reach of the law enforcement agencies.
The final phase of operation was launched in February in North Waziristan’s deeply forested ravines of Shawal Valley and Datta Khel that had been used by terrorists for infiltration between Pakistan and Afghanistan.-Agencies
