COAS suggests strategy to defeat terrorism
KARACHI: Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa on Sunday emphasised that terrorism being a transnational threat could only be defeated through intelligence sharing and coordinated effective border management.
The army chief was speaking at a meeting of the Quadrilateral Counter Terrorism Coordination Mechanism (QCCM) in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, according to a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations. Senior military leadership of the member countries, including Gen Li Zuocheng of China, Gen Sobirzoda Imomali Abdurrahim of Tajikistan and Gen Sharif Yaftali of Afghanistan participated in the discussion.
The four military leaders welcomed the QCCM initiative and expressed the hope that an inclusive and cooperative regional approach would prove best for the eradication of terrorism.
Gen Bajwa highlighted the achievements of Pakistan in the fight against terrorism and for eliminating terrorist safe havens from the country’s soil. He said terrorism was a transnational threat and suggested that it could only be defeated through intelligence sharing and coordinated effective border management.
Military leaders of China, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan agree on cooperative mechanism; Bajwa holds talks with Afghan CGS
The participants signed an outline cooperative mechanism which would come into force after its endorsement by the respective governments.
On the sidelines of the event, Gen Bajwa met Afghan Chief of General Staff, Gen Sharif Yaftali. The two candidly shared with each other concerns on the Afghan situation.
While assuring fullest cooperation to Afghanistan, Gen Bajwa said that Pakistan cannot bring Afghan war into Pakistan. He said that Pakistan had already cleared all its areas indiscriminately and had started unilateral border security measures including fencing. Besides border security management, he added, the other key factor for enduring peace was dignified repatriation of Afghan refugees.
The COAS reassured the Afghan general that Pakistan was open to any suggestion that facilitated peace in Afghanistan. In this spirit, he offered to form a ‘Pak-Afghan Army Working Group’ to jointly work and formulate security recommendations for government-level discussions aimed at addressing mutual concerns. The Afghan CGS agreed to the proposal and thanked Gen Bajwa for his relentless efforts towards peace.
According to reports, Gen Bajwa also called on Tajik Defence Minister Sherdil Mirzo.
During the next two days, the forum will discuss regional security environment and the way forward in relation to the situation in Afghanistan and counterterrorism efforts.
Talks Gen Li
The Chinese Chief of Joint Staff, Gen Li Zuocheng praised ties between Beijing and Islamabad.
During his meeting with Gen Bajwa, he pledged deeper cooperation between the two countries, according to the Chinese defence ministry.
China defended Pakistan last week for its sacrifices after US President Donald Trump said the United States could no longer be silent about Pakistan’s “safe havens” for militants and warned it had much to lose by continuing to “harbour terrorists”.
During a recent visit by Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua to China, Foreign Minister Wang Yi reaffirmed Beijing’s continuing and firm support to Islamabad and vowed to further strengthen the all-weather strategic cooperative friendship.
Talking to Ms Janjua, the Chinese foreign minister lauded Pakistan’s contributions and great sacrifices made in the fight against terrorism, adding that the international community should fully recognise these efforts, according to Beijing-based People’s Daily.
The entire gambit of bilateral relations, regional and global issues as well as the situation in India-held Kashmir were discussed.
The foreign secretary, while underlining the importance of Pakistan-China friendship, reiterated Pakistan’s support to China on all issues of its core interest.
Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2017