ISLAMABAD – Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa said onSaturday that Pakistan was determined to resolve the regional issuesthrough partnership and cooperation.
The Army Chief delivered his opening remarks at the second day of theIslamabad Security Dialogue 2022 as chief guest.
General Bajwa said regional security and stability was the component of thecountry’s National Security Policy, adding, “Citizen’s security andprosperity is our priority”.
The Army Chief said, “Pakistan do not believe in camp politics and cannotpromote its relationship with its partners at the cost of others.
“We want to expand our ties with China, US, and Russia without damagingit’s national interests where Ukraine, Japan, Gulf States and otherpartners are equally important for the country’s development and economicprosperity”, the COAS said.
While commenting on Pak-Russia crisis, he said Pakistan had seriousconcerns over Ukraine crisis.
The unfortunate Russian invasion destroyed half of the Ukraine and killedmany people, where both the countries should let the situation under theircontrol to resolve the conflict, he added.
He underlined that the expansion of the Ukraine crisis would not serve anycountry and Pakistan was demanding ceasefire between Ukraine and Russian.
The Army Chief mentioned that the world was facing challenges of poverty,climate change, cyber intrusion and others, whereas Pakistan was a countrylocated at the cross roads of global economic and political transitions.
Commenting on the country’s landmark National Security Policy formulation,the COAS said the first ever National Security Policy placed citizensecurity at its heart, where achieving this required peace at home andabroad.
“Our commitment to defeat terrorism remains unwavering. The countrysacrificed 90,000 lives in its war against terrorism and the Armed forceswith national support achieved unprecedented accomplishments”, GeneralBajwa said.
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“Pakistan has rendered sacrifices of 90,000 innocent lives in war on terrorand will continue fighting terrorism till elimination of the last terroristfrom its soil”, he said.
The COAS also shed light on the worst humanitarian crisis in Afghanistanand said, “We are working with Afghan government and other neighbouringcountries to prevent it’s soil use for terrorism against any other nation”.
He added that the lack of financial flows and global sanctions wereaggravating humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. “The western countries inthe emergence of Ukraine’s humanitarian crisis should not forget the 40million people facing the worst humanitarian catastrophe”, he added.
Pakistan, he said was providing assistance to Afghanistan to avert thelooming humanitarian crisis and the world must incentivise Afghans fortheir behavioural change.“Pakistan already hosts four million registered and non-registered refugeesand the world must stop Afghanistan becoming the new epicenter ofterrorism”, he added.
He urged the global community that the world must not disrupt it’s tieswith Afghanistan and should not ignore Afghanistan amid Ukraine crisis.
Commenting on the external security situation of the country, he said thesituation along the line of control (LoC) remained peaceful and wassatisfactory.
He further mentioned that the Indian cruise missile launched into Pakistanwas a major concern as India did not make any communication prior to itslaunch.
“It has raised concerns over Indian ability to handle high end weapons.Pakistan has called for a complete probe into the situation. India musthold investigation of the failed supersonic cruise missile launch andensure that its weapons are safe”, he demanded.He said Pakistan had played the role of a responsible state among thecomity of nations and released the Indian pilot captured after shootingdown his aircraft intruding the Pakistan airpsace in 2019 while honoringthe international laws and norms.“Pakistan again played a responsible state’s role on the occasion of thefailed supersonic projectile launch into Pakistan that jeopardised manycivilian lives”, he said.
The Army Chief concluded that it was time for political leadership of theregion to come up beyond their biases and emotional prejudices to resolvethe issues including water crisis through dialogue.
