Islamabad: Pakistani Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Friday visited Parachinar, where two back-to-back bomb attacks a week ago killed over 70 people and injured dozens.

Parachinar, a town in the northwestern tribal area in Kurram Agency, is located close to Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan.

According to a press release issued by the military’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Gen Bajwa was briefed in detail about the security situation and recent terrorist incidents.

Gen Bajwa interacted with local tribal elders and representatives of locals staging a sit-in protest over the security situation in Parachinar.

“We as a nation have given unprecedented sacrifices in war against terrorism and we shall succeed. Our enemies shall never succeed to lower our resolve or to divide us” he said on the occasion.

Appreciating the Frontier Constabulary (FC) and local administration for their efforts, the army chief acknowledged their contributions, pointing out that to date 126 brave soldiers have laid their lives and 387 have got injured while performing security duties in Kurram Agency only.

Speaking at the occasion Tribal elders expressed their full confidence and trust in Army and its leadership, the ISPR press release said.

Gen Bajwa said while there are clear evidences of hostile foreign hands in recent incidents, local facilitators and abettors have been apprehended who will be tried in military courts.

He said additional Army troops have been moved in Parachinar to enhance its security while FC troops are being beefed up on Pakistan-Afghanistan border to seal it effectively.

Toori Razakars (volunteers) are also being dovetailed on checkposts.

A safe city project for Parachinar by installing CCTV cameras in line with the ones in Lahore and Islamabad will be undertaken, Gen Bajwa added.

The army chief said that the fencing of the border is already in progress. More sensitive areas of FATA (Federally administered tribal areas) along the border are being fenced in phase one while the complete border, including in Baluchistan, will be fenced in phase 2.

Firing by FC troops while handling mob situation post blast last Friday is being inquired and those responsible shall not be spared, Gen Bajwa said, adding that FC commandant has already been changed. Notwithstanding the irreparable loss, four ‘shaheed’ (martyrs) and those injured due to firing have been given separate compensation by FC.

Army Public School at Parachinar is named will be upgraded to Cadet College in due course. Trauma Centre will be established at Parachinar by Army while local civil hospital will be upgraded for better medical care by civil administration, he announced.

The army chief said the government has now announced compensation for Parachinar victims at par with other such victims elsewhere in the country. “All Pakistani’s are equal,” he remarked.

Army fully supports mainstreaming of FATA which is being pursued and its early implementation is essential for enduring peace and stability, he said.

Gen Bajwa said that Pakistan Army shall continue its efforts to bring back normalcy in the country.

He said that threat continues to reside across the border in Afghanistan with “ISIS [Daesh] gaining strength there.”

“We need to remain united, steadfast, prepared and vigilant against this threat which has an agenda of exploiting sectarian fault-line.”