Pakistan Army chief Raheel Sharif Tuesday said the "terrorists will not be allowed" to return to the North Waziristan tribal region where a major offensive against militants continues.

 

 Gen. Sharif was addressing the Pakistani forces involved in operations against the Pakistani Taliban and foreign militants in the region bordering Afghanistan after peace talks collapsed and the militants launched major attacks on major cities in the country, Xinhua reported.

 

 According to the army, 570 terrorists have been killed since operation "Zarb-e-Azb" began June 15. The army chief celebrated the Eid festival with the troops on the front lines and paid tributes to them for their courage, an army statement said.  "The chief of the army staff expressed his complete satisfaction over the achievements and progress of the operation made so far in North Waziristan," it said.

 

 The army chief said that since the command and communication infrastructure of the militants has been disrupted, the armed forces will never allow them to return. "We will not stop short of eradicating this menace of terrorism from across the country," General Sharif said, emphasising that only with sustained focus of the entire nation, Pakistan could be made a terror-free state.

 

 The army said the forces have completely cleared Miranshah, main town of North Waziristan, of the militants and also 70 per cent purged Mirali, the second major town and a main stronghold of the Pakistani and foreign militants.