QUETTA: Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa said on Thursday that Pakistan was going through an evolutionary process of its journey to enduring peace and stability after withstanding challenges in the recent past.

Addressing student officers and faculty of Staff Course 2018/19 at Command and Staff College here, he said the process was slow, but on a positive trajectory.

“We need to stay steadfast and carry forward the efforts towards set national objectives,” he asserted.

Acknowledging and hailing contributions and performance of young officers in the counterterrorism operations as well as during recent stand-off along the eastern border, the army chief appreciated the officers for their professional pursuits to meet and prevail over future challenges of national security.

The commander of Southern Command was also present on the occasion.

During his recent engagements, Gen Bajwa has expressed his confidence that Pakistan has withstood challenges and it is now on a journey to peace and stability.

During his visit to forward posts along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in the Dawatoi area of North Waziristan tribal district last week, he said the country was not anymore facing the challenges it had in the recent past.

“There are still challenges facing Pakistan but not as much as we have passed through in recent past. To continue the journey towards ultimate success we need to stay patient, determined and united,” he said on the occasion.

On that occasion too, the army chief referred to the stand-off along the country’s eastern border, saying that the army continued to maintain required state of alertness and preparedness on the eastern border.

The army chief said on the occasion that Pakistan would continue to play its positive role towards the success of the Afghan reconciliation process and peace in the region, but the country would also stay ready for any unforeseen eventuality.

Chairing the 220th Corps Commanders’ Conference last month, Gen Bajwa also said that Pakistan was on a positive trajectory.

“Having achieved successes against terrorism, Pakistan is on a positive trajectory of becoming a state where prerogative of use of weapons rests with the state alone and socio-economic development is taking preeminence,” he was quoted to have said during the conference.

Published in Dawn, May 24th, 2019