Top military leadership met on Tuesday to discuss internal
and regional security developments in a Corps Commanders Conference in
Rawalpindi chaired by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa.
"The COAS took the forum on board about his military diplomacy through his recent visits abroad
and interaction with foreign dignitaries visiting Pakistan," according
to a statement released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
The
meeting comes a day after United States (US) Defence Secretary retired
Gen James Mattis, in his maiden visit to Pakistan, told the country's
civil and military leadership that Islamabad needs to do more to combat militant networks operating on its soil.
A day before the Mattis arrived in Islamabad, Central Intelligence Agency Director Mike Pompeo had warned Pakistan
that if it does not eliminate the alleged safe havens inside its
territory, the US would do "everything we can" to destroy them.
The army chief was also recently in Saudi Arabia
as the first meeting of the defence ministers of countries involved in
the Saudi-led Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) was
held last Sunday.
Last month, Gen Bajwa also visited Iran for detailed consultations.
The
military's top brass in the meeting paid special attention to the
impacts of the situation in Afghanistan on Pakistan as well as the
region.
"[The] forum also discussed regional and
internal security situation with specific reference to Afghanistan,"
said the ISPR handout.
The focus on Afghanistan comes
days after a terror attack on the Agricultural Training Institute in
Peshawar. Initial investigation of the attack revealed the terrorists
had been in touch with their handlers in Afghanistan.
According
to the ISPR, the army decided to continue contributing towards
collective efforts seeking to bring durable peace to the region,
particularly Afghanistan.
The meeting also reviewed the
progress in Operation Raddul Fasaad, enhanced security measures along
the Pak-Afghan border and recently initiated ‘Khushal Balochistan’
programme aimed at the stability of the province through socio-economic
development.
COAS, Afghan president meet in Kabul, discuss regional security October 01, 2017
In an attempt to bridge the growing trust deficit between
the two neighbouring countries, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar
Javed Bajwa visited Kabul on Sunday to hold discussions with Afghan
authorities.
During a meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, matters of regional security and counter-terrorism efforts were discussed, Tolo News reported.
"Both
sides discussed various important issues including security in the
region, bilateral relationships, peace and stability, anti-terror
efforts, business and transit relationships, and mid-term and long-term
relationships between Afghanistan and Pakistan," Tolo news said, quoting a statement from the Afghan president's office.
During the meeting, the army chief expressed Pakistan's
willingness to cooperate with Afghanistan in counter-terrorism efforts,
reiterating Pakistan's support for an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace
process, Tolo News reported.
Ghani emphasised
the need for task teams and monitoring mechanisms to be established to
create a cooperation framework and ensure implementation of promises and
deadlines, according to Tolo News.
"Peace and
stability are for the benefit of both Pakistan and Afghanistan and could
lift the people in both countries out of poverty," Tolo News quoted the Afghan president as saying.
Pakistan agreed with Ghani's suggestion, promising its task teams will draft implementation plans, the daily added.
Relations
between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been strained for some time;
Islamabad alleges that the militant Islamic State (IS) group,
Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant groups are operating
from bases inside Afghanistan, and has provided specific names of the
militants it wants the Afghan government to act against.
Kabul
also levels similar charges, saying that it is suffering at the hands
of Taliban groups and other militants operating from inside Pakistani
territory. But Islamabad has always denied such accusations, insisting
that a strong and stable Afghanistan is in its best interests.
Pakistani
authorities maintain that militants fleeing security operations have
taken shelter in Afghanistan and are plotting attacks against the
country with the help of Afghan intelligence.
The
Quadrilateral Coordination Group, which includes the two countries as
well as the US and China, has been dysfunctional for well over a year
now.
The US, which has been busy with a review of its policy on Afghanistan and South Asia, has stayed away.
However,
a fresh tripartite meeting — without Beijing — held in Kabul earlier
this month renewed all parties’ resolve to eliminate IS from the region
and identified “information sharing, complementary efforts and enhanced
cooperation” as the main areas for cooperation.
In a talk
at the Asia Society in New York earlier this week, Foreign Minister
Khawaja Asif had criticised US attempts to single out Pakistan for all
ills plaguing war-ravaged Afghanistan.
Pakistan, he said,
had in the past done all it could to facilitate a political settlement
in Afghanistan, making sure that Pakistani soil was not used against any
country.
However, he maintained that Islamabad could not
take responsibility for Afghanistan’s peace and security and be asked
to achieve what the combined strength of some of the most powerful and
richest countries could not accomplish.
General Qamar Bajwa calls on Saudi King Salman, vows to guard Holy Mosques December 18, 2016
Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa called on Saudi King
Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud on Sunday, said a statement issued by
military’s media wing.
The Saudi king and the army chief
agreed that both the countries share great history of cordial relations
and deep spirit of brotherhood which has transformed into an enduring
partnership, read the Inter-Services Public Relations statement.
It
was also acknowledged that both Pakistan and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
are vital players in regional stability, “with significant
responsibility towards the entire Muslim ummah”.
Both
leaders re-emphasised the need to continue working to eliminate the
menace of terrorism and reinforce the mechanism to roll back extremism
with even greater vigour.
Gen Bajwa reiterated Pakistan's commitment to the
security and protection of the Holy Mosques and also the territorial
integrity of the kingdom.
The army chief, who is on an official visit to Saudi Arabia, held a series of meetings on Sunday.
He
held meeting with deputy crown prince and the defence minister Muhammad
bin Salman to discuss matters related to mutual interests and bilateral
security cooperation. The Defence Minster reassured Gen Bajwa that the
kingdom supports peace and stability in Pakistan in every way.
Later
General Bajwa met Chief of General Staff of Saudi Forces Gen Abdul
Rehman bin Saleh Al Bunyan to discuss military to military relations,
defence cooperation and regional security situation. Both leaders agreed
to boost military cooperation and collaboration.
