ISLAMABAD – Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed BajwalinkTuesdaysaid Pakistan will continue to play its responsible and positive role forregional peace without compromising national security and defence of themotherland.
“Pakistan is one of the lead participations with significant contributionstowards peace and stability efforts in the region. We shall continue toplay our responsible and positive role towards this end withoutcompromising national security and defence of the motherland at whatevercost,” the COAS said while chairing the 228th Corps Commanders Conferencehere at the General Headquarters.
According to Inter-Services Public Relations Director General Maj Gen AsifGhafoor, the conference reviewed geo-strategic, regional and nationalsecurity environment and discussed internal security, situation alongborders, Line of Control (LOC) and Indian-held Kashmir (IHK). It alsoreviewed evolving security situation in the Middle East with reference tothe US-Iran standoff and its implications on regional peace and stability.
Taking account of repeated provocative statements of Indian militaryleadership regarding aggression against Pakistan, the forum termed it anirresponsible rhetoric with implications on regional peace and stability.
On Saturday, India’s new army chief Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane had said thatthe Indian army will move to claim Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) if it isgiven orders in this regard by the parliament.
The Foreign Office in Islamabad had denounced Naravane’s statement asreckless, saying, “We reject the new Indian army chief’s irresponsiblestatement regarding ‘pre-emptive strikes’ across the LoC inside Azad Jammuand Kashmir.”
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DG ISPR Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor had also responded to the Indian army chief’sthreatening statements, saying Gen Naravane “knows full well the situationin the region and the capability of the Pakistan Army.
He was part of the Indian force on Feb 27 as well. So he’s not new.” MajGen Ghafoor had expressed the hope that Naravane “will no longer let go ofreason”. “The Pakistan Army knows how to defend the country and India alsoknows this,” he had said at the time.
Tensions between Pakistan and India had spiked sharply after New Delhiannexed occupied valley of Kashmir on August 5 last year by revoking theregion’s special constitutional status.
