A meeting was held on Friday between Brigadier Muhammad Yousaf Majoka, DIG FC KP and Katie Stana, INL Director to mark the inauguration of Border Outpost Construction Project at General Headquarters, Rawalpindi. DIG FC KP expressed his gratitude to INL's assistance, mentioning that, "The US Embassy's INL has stood with FC for more than a decade, helping to reduce civilian and law enforcement casualties, cross-border infiltrations, smuggling of narcotics, kidnapping for ransom and other crimes on the western border of Pakistan."

Inauguration celebrated the completion of three-year $10 million project that began in 2014, which included the construction of five Company Headquarters, 33 Border Outposts and renovation of 54 Security Posts. During previous phases, 54 border outposts were constructed and 30 facilities renovated at a cost of $5.5 million. During the inauguration ceremony, Stana recognized the important role that, "The FC plays in safeguarding Pakistan's border with Afghanistan, noting that the Frontier Corps is Pakistan's first line of defense in border security, and we are proud to support its mission."

In particular she highlighted INL-funded border outposts in the Chitral area of KP, Mohmand and Bajaur Agencies of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), which provided critical protection during several attacks from 2014-2016 from across the border, helping to protect the lives of FC personnel engaged in countering narcotics and preventing cross border infiltration. In addition to this infrastructure support, this year INL will provide more that $5 million in equipment, including bullet-proof vests, helmets and bomb protection suits to the FC to help improve personnel safety to the troops and extend the reach of the FC in FATA and along the Pak-Afghan border.

Copyright News Network International, 2017