Prime Minister Shehbaz on Thursday announced the setting up of a university and medical college in North Waziristan while promising to extend Punjab government’s Daanish School System to the militancy-hit region.

“People of North Waziristan have suffered long enough at the hands of terrorists,” tweeted the premier following his visit to the area.

PM Shehbaz also announced the establishment of a “modern university, Daanish school system & medical college”. A mobile hospital with modern facilities will also be moved to the area immediately, the tweet added.

North Waziristan has a population of over half a million with minimal access to healthcare. The region does not have a university or medical college, while the educational infrastructure is poor.

During his visit, the premier met tribal leaders to discuss their problems.

“The tribal elders welcomed the Prime Minister and thanked him for his first visit to the area, which reflects the Prime Minister’s attention and concern for the tribal districts,” the Prime Minister’s Office tweeted.

Upon his arrival at Miranshah, the premier was received by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, according to an ISPR statement.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah accompanied the premier on the trip.

Later, he was given a detailed briefing on the prevalent security situation with special focus on terrorists’ activities from across the border, the statement added.

PM Shehbaz was also briefed on the western border management system including the status of border fencing.

He said it was not too long ago that terrorists had been indiscriminately targeting innocent men, women, children, educational institutions and state infrastructure across the country, said the ISPR handout.

“Thanks to the valiant efforts of our Armed Forces, fully supported by the nation, we have been successful in defeating and degrading all types of terrorist organisations and dismantling their infrastructure,” it quoted the premier as saying.

Earlier, he offered prayers at the monument in memory of soldiers who lost their lives fighting miitancy in the region.