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Peace in region contingent upon peace in Afghanistan: DG ISPR

January 11, 2018

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Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) DG Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor has said that lasting peace in the region is contingent upon ensuring security and stability in Afghanistan.

Speaking to a private news channel in an interview on Thursday, military’s top spokesman said that “peace has returned to Pakistan and its future is prosperous”.

“The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) could never have defeated al Qaeda in Afghanistan without Pakistan’s support,” the DG said when asked about US President Trump’s recent tirade against Pakistan.

In his tweet on January 1, Trump had lashed out Pakistan, accusing the country of “lying and deceit” in return for billions of dollars. He had also accused the country of harbouring terrorists and providing safe havens to them.

DG ISPR further said that Pakistan provided ISAF with all logistical and intelligence support to overcome terrorism in Afghanistan. “Pakistan, with significantly fewer resources, achieved what the security forces in Afghanistan couldn’t with all of their resources,” he added.

“There was no terrorism in Pakistan before the Afghan war and our target is to take Pakistan to the pre-war peaceful era,” Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor said.

“Pakistan proposed to Afghanistan a bilateral border control mechanism. The issues at the border can be improved through better coordination,” he said.

He went on to say that Pakistan successfully defeated terrorism through Operation Zarb-e-Azb. “It was decided that the terrorists will not be allowed to flee to Afghanistan.”

“On the other hand, India is still active in perpetrating terrorism inside Pakistan. We have a perpetual security threat from the East,” he added.