India will have to create environment for talks

| Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa says it is time to bury the past and move forward | Ready to resolve disputes with neighbours through dialogue | This choice is deliberate and based on rationality and not as a result of any pressure | Need to revive SAARC

Pakistan’s crucial support for peace process paved way for Intra-Afghan dialogue

Pakistan provided access to Afghanistan 

to export its goods 

to India

CPEC has 

been at heart 

of our economic transformational plan

Today leading drivers of change in the world are demography, economy and technology

Pakistan Army has contributed tremendously towards national cause

ISLAMABAD   -  Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa said Thursday that Pakistan is ready to resolve all the outstanding disputes with its neighbors through dialogue.

Pak Army Chief, however, made it clear that this choice is deliberate and based on rationality and not as a result of any pressure. COAS was addressing ‘Islamabad Security Dialogue’ organised by the National Security Division here.

“Our defense expenditures have rather reduced instead of increasing. This is not an easy undertaking especially once you live in a hostile and unstable neighbourhood. But, having said that, let me say profoundly that we are ready to improve our environment by resolving all our outstanding issues with our neighbours through dialogue in a dignified and peaceful manner,” the COAS said.

The Army Chief expressed his willingness to bury the past and move forward when it comes to relations with India. “It is important to understand that without the resolution of Kashmir dispute through peaceful means, the process of sub-continental rapprochement will always remain susceptible to derailment due to politically-motivated bellicosity. However, we feel that it is time to bury the past and move forward,” he said and added, “But for resumption of peace process or meaningful dialogue, our neighbour will have to create a conducive environment, 

particularly in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).” He believed that stable Indo-Pak relations are a key to unlock the untapped potential of South and Central Asia by ensuring connectivity between East and West Asia. 

He however regretted that the potential has remained hostage to the disputes and issues between the two neighbours. The Army Chief said Pakistan has learnt from the past and is willing to move ahead towards a new future. “However all this is contingent upon reciprocity,” he held.

The Army Chief said despite being an impoverished region, we end up spending a lot of money on defense which naturally comes at the expense of human development. He said Pakistan is one of the few countries which despite rising security challenges have resisted the temptation of involving itself in an arms race. He said Pakistan’s defense expenditure has rather reduced instead of increasing. This is not an easy undertaking especially in a hostile and unstable neighborhood.

The Army Chief said Pakistan’s robust role in the current quest for peace in Afghanistan is a proof of our goodwill. He pointed out that the country’s close collaboration and crucial support for the peace process led to the historic engagement between the Taliban and the US and paved the way for Intra-Afghan dialogue.

He said Pakistan will continue to emphasise on a sustained and inclusive peace process for the betterment of people of Afghanistan and the regional peace. He said Pakistan has also undertaken unprecedented steps to enhance Afghan trade and connectivity by reenergising Afghan-Pakistan transit trade agreement and also providing access to Afghanistan to export its goods to India.

General Qamar Javed Bajwa further said that Pakistan’s long campaign against terrorism and extremism also manifests nation’s resolve and national will. “We have come a long way and yet we are a bit short of our final objective. But we are determined to stay the course,” he said. 

He told the participants that Pakistan has begun to work towards sustainable development and improving economic conditions of underprivileged areas. He said the Pakistan Army has contributed immensely towards this national cause by rebuilding and mainstreaming some of the most neglected areas through massive development, besides ensuring peace and security. The Army Chief said the CPEC has been at the heart of our economic transformational plan.

The COAS said that South Asia is home to one quarter of the world’s population. However, despite tremendous human and resource potential, the unsettled disputes are dragging this region back to the swamp of poverty and underdevelopment. He said despite being one of the most impoverished regions of the world, we end up spending a lot of money on our defence, which naturally conies at the expense of human development.

He said it is almost universally acknowledged fact that the contemporary concept of national security is not only about protecting a country from internal and external threats but also providing a conducive environment in which aspirations of human security, national progress and development could be realised. “Surely, it is not solely a function of the Armed Forces any more. National Security in the age of globalisation, information and connectivity has now become an all-encompassing notion; wherein, besides various elements of national power, global and regional environment also play a profound role. National security is thus multi-layered: outer layers being the exogenous factors of global and regional environment and inner layers being the endogenous factors of internal peace, stability and developmental orientation,” the COAS added.

Also, Pak Army Chief said that a nation at peace and a region in harmony are thus essential prerequisites for attainment of national security in the true spirit. “Today the leading drivers of change in the world are demography, economy and technology. However, one issue which remains central to this concept is economic security and cooperation,” he pleaded. He believed that frayed relations between various power centers of the globe and boomeranging of competing alliances can bring nothing but another stint of cold war. “It is naive to apply the failed solutions of yester years to the challenges of today and tomorrow. It is important for the world that the leading global players must reach a stable equilibrium in their relations through convergences instead of divergence,” he added.

General Bajwa said the world knows that Pakistan is geo-strategically placed, to be a bridge between civilisations and connecting conduit between the regional economies. “We are a nation of significance due to our large and enterprising demography, fertile soil and adequate logistical infrastructure. We intend to leverage our vital geostrategic location for our own, regional and global benefit. Our robust role in current quest for peace in Afghanistan is a proof of our goodwill and understanding of our global and moral obligations,” he said and added, “Our close collaboration and crucial support for the peace process has led to the historic agreement between Taliban and US and paved the way for intra-Afghan dialogue.” “We will continue to emphasise on a sustained and inclusive peace process for the betterment of people of Afghanistan and regional peace. Moreover, besides offering our all-out support to the Afghanistan Peace Process, we have also undertaken unprecedented steps to enhance Afghanistan’s trade and connectivity,” said the Army Chief further.

The COAS believed that Pakistanis are a nation with tremendous geo-economic potential.  “It is important for us to embark upon a solid economic roadmap, backed up by infrastructural developments and regional integration,” he said. He said Pakistan Army has contributed tremendously towards the national cause by rebuilding and mainstreaming some of the most neglected areas through massive development drives besides ensuring peace and security

Coming to the CPEC, he said the economic corridor has been at the heart of our economic transformation plan and we have left no quarter to declare its necessity for addressing our economic woes. He emphasised that while CPEC remains central to our vision, only seeing Pakistan through CPEC prism is also misleading. “Our immensely vital geostrategic location and a transformed vision make us a country of immense and diverse potential which can very positively contribute to regional development and prosperity,” he added. The COAS also underlined the need to revive SAARC with the same purpose.

The COAS said it was his profound privilege and pleasure to address that august gathering of some of the best Pakistani and global minds. He also appreciated the National Security Division for identifying the need for Pakistan to have its own security dialogue.