ISLAMABAD: National Security Advisor (NSA) to the Prime Minister (PM) Lieutenant General (Retired) Nasser Khan Janjua has said that nuclear war in South Asia is a real possibility.
While addressing a seminar on issues of national security in Islamabad, he also noted that Pakistan encountered the menace of terrorism only after it started supporting the operations of US-led forces in Afghanistan.
Addressing the gathering, Janjua was of the opinion that Pakistan had been successful in defeating the nefarious designs of the enemy, and militants in droves laying down their arms in sensitive parts of the country was proof of that.
“The overall security situation in Karachi has improved considerably, while conditions in Balochistan are also moving in a positive direction. Not only are the people of Balochistan laying down their arms, but they are chanting ‘Jeevay Jeevay Pakistan’ as well,” the former general told the audience in Islamabad.
Lt Gen (R) Nasser Janjua also outlined Pakistan’s broader national security policy in the region, seeking to dismiss international concerns about the country’s role in the war on terror and addressing issues related to its relations with foreign countries.
“Pakistan has been battling with security problems for the past forty years. Peace in Afghanistan remains our top priority,” he said.
NSA stressed that supporting US forces in the region had given birth to the rise of terrorism inside the country.
“Pakistan has suffered a lot in this war on terror, both in terms of lives lost and economy hit, but the international community has not looked upon our sacrifices in this war with a positive attitude,” Nasser complained.
“As the Taliban grow stronger in Afghanistan, America has started to shift the blame for its failures in the country onto Pakistan.”
Nasser also talked about Pakistan’s relationship with India , and how it has influenced the foreign policy of other nations in the sub-continent.
“The stability of the South Asian region hangs in a delicate balance, and the possibility of nuclear war cannot be ruled out.”
“India has been stockpiling a range of dangerous weapons, as it threatens Pakistan continuously of conventional warfare,” Janjua briefed the seminar.
“As part of its (US) policy to counter Chinese influence in South Asia, the US is conspiring against China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) along with the Indians. The US-India alliance has an identical stance on the Kashmir issue, and America frequently gives India preference over Pakistan,” Janjua remarked.