Presiding over the Corps Commanders’ Conference, Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani said the army was fully prepared to respond to all challenges and would maintain professional excellence to protect national security interests.

Sources quoted Gen Kayani as saying that anti-insurgency operations were moving in the right direction.

He expressed complete satisfaction over the army’s performance in the operations and said peace had returned to many areas which had become safe havens for terrorists.

The army chief lauded the professional competence demonstrated by field formations during the recently held field and firing exercises.

The sources said the army chief also briefed the meeting on his visit to Afghanistan during which he met International Security Assistance Force’s Commander General David McKean and also called on Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

The meeting, the sources said, discussed the situation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border with special focus on possible repercussions of the surge of US-led Nato forces in Afghanistan.

The commanders also discussed situation on the country’s eastern border.

A press release issued by the ISPR said a comprehensive overview of various professional matters of the army was presented at the conference.

The participants expressed satisfaction over the state of operational preparedness of the army.

The army chief will preside over a meeting of the Army Promotion Board on Wednesday at which over 20 brigadiers are likely to be promoted to the rank of major general.