ISPR chief says Pakistan did not fight war on terror for money

• Says Afghanistan’s war will not be fought again on Pakistani soil

• ‘Any role which gives India permission to work against Pakistan’s national interest will not be acceptable’

• ‘Need nothing from the US, but acknowledgement for our contributions,  sacrifices, efforts for peace in region’ 

Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor on Tuesday said Pakistan did not fight the war on terror for money, adding the country only needed acknowledgement of its sacrifices and contributions.

“Since 1947, giving Pakistan $50 billion or so, is not our price, as far as money is concerned. If America gave us assistance in the security domain, that is their national interest. Being a superpower, the US has defence cooperation with countries across the world,” said the DG ISPR.

“By making some payments over the years in the ongoing war on terror and then claiming that heavy payments are being made, we want to say that Pakistan is not fighting for money,” said the Army spokesman.

Earlier on Monday, US President Donald Trump, in a new security policy, had insisted that Pakistan take a “decisive action against militant and terrorist groups operating from its soil”.

He added that lately the government and the army chief have given statements over the issue as well.

Major General Asif Ghafoor, speaking to Geo News, said: “We need nothing from the US, but acknowledgements for our contributions, our sacrifices and our efforts for peace in the region.”

DG ISPR, referring to the start of the war, said, “We all know how the war on terror started and how it was imposed upon us and we have fought it as our war in the interests of our country.”

“We did whatever we had to in the interest of Pakistan and what we do in the future will also be in our interests,” said the Army spokesman.

He added that Afghanistan’s war will not be fought again on Pakistani soil and there have been plenty of discussions on what measures need to be taken on the border and regarding coordination.

When asked about the US policy giving an upper hand to India in the region, Ghafoor said the US being a superpower has its own interests in the region and relations with sovereign nations.

“But one line which has been clarified to them from Pakistan is that any policy which compromises Pakistan’s national interest will not be acceptable,” stated the Army spokesman.

He further said that the US can give India any status it so chooses, but any role which gives India permission to work against Pakistan’s national interest will not be acceptable to Pakistan.

He also said they were very happy with the respect given to the army chief and felt very welcome during the Senate briefing held earlier today.

The 55-page security policy released by the United States mentions that it continues to face threats from transnational terrorists and militants operating from within Pakistan.

The document said that the US interests in the region include countering terrorist threats that impact the security of the US and its allies, and preventing cross-border terrorism among others.

“We seek a Pakistan that is not engaged in destabilising behaviour and a stable and self-reliant Afghanistan. We will press Pakistan to intensify its counterterrorism efforts since no partnership can survive a country’s support for militants and terrorists who target a partner’s own service members and officials.”

Announcing the new national security strategy at the White House, Trump said, “We have made it clear to Pakistan that while we desire a continued partnership, we must see decisive action against terrorist groups operating on their territory.”

“And we make massive payments every year to Pakistan; they have to help,” he added.

In August, Trump lambasted Islamabad for harbouring “agents of chaos” on its soil, as he cleared the way for the deployment of thousands more US troops to Afghanistan.