Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif, in a meeting with the American delegation led by Commander Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan General John Nicholson of the United States Army at GHQ on Friday, raised the demand of targeting Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants and their chief Mullah Fazlullah in their hideouts in Afghanistan.
Raheel Sharif told the members of the delegation that action needs to be taken against Indian intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), Afghan intelligence agency National Directorate of Security (NDS) and members of other terrorist organisations.
Talking to General John Nicholson and US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Olson, Gen Raheel said: “Pakistan will not allow Indian and Afghan intelligence agencies to foment terrorism in the country”.
According to an ISPR communique, the regional security situation with particular reference to border management and peace and stability in Afghanistan in the post-May 21 US drone strike environment came under discussion during the meeting.
The army chief reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment towards the war against terrorism and effective border management with Afghanistan in order to promote regional peace and stability.
Expressing his serious concern on the May 21 US drone strike in Balochistan ─ which had killed Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Mansour ─ and terming it a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty, Gen Raheel highlighted how the drone strike negatively affected the mutual trust and respect between the two countries and the gains made during Pakistan’s own war on terror.
He told the visiting dignitaries that it is unfortunate that Pakistan is blamed for instability in Afghanistan, adding that Pakistan has always expressed its readiness to work for a long-term peace process for Afghanistan under the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) framework.
Army Chief said that both countries need to work together in order to curb terrorism to ensure peace in the region.
