Addressing the QCCM, General Qamar Javed Bajwa highlighted achievements of Pakistan in the fight against terrorism for eliminating terrorists’ safe havens from its soil.
He said that terrorism was a transnational threat that could only be defeated through intelligence sharing and coordinated and effective border management.
The meeting was attended by senior military leadership of member countries that is Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa representing Pakistan, Gen Li Zuocheng (China), General Sobirzoda Imomali Abdurrahim (Tajikistan) and General Sharif Yaftali (Afghanistan). All four leaders welcomed the QCCM initiative and expressed the hope that an inclusive and cooperative regional approach will prove best for eradication of terrorism.
Meanwhile in the QCCM meeting, all the four leaders welcomed the QCCM initiative and expressed the hope that an inclusive and cooperative regional approach would prove best for eradication of terrorism. The participants also signed an outline cooperative mechanism, which will come into force after its endorsement by respective governments.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa has reassured Afghanistan that Pakistan is open to any suggestion that facilitate peace in Afghanistan.
According to the ISPR, the chief of army staff stated this in a meeting with Afghan Chief of General Staff (CGS) General Sharif Yaftali on the sidelines of the Quadrilateral Counter-Terrorism Coordination Mechanism (QCCM) held at Dushanbe, Tajikistan on Sunday.
General Bajwa offered to the Afghan side to form a Pak-Afghan army working group to jointly work and formulate security recommendations for government-level discussion aimed at addressing mutual concerns. The Afghan side agreed to the proposal.
The COAS discussed with General Yaftali the situation in Afghanistan and candidly shared with him Pakistan’s concerns. The COAS, while assuring fullest cooperation to Afghanistan said that Pakistan could not bring the Afghan war into Pakistan.
General Bajwa said that Pakistan had already cleared all its areas indiscriminately, and had started unilateral border security measures including fencing. Besides border security management other key factor for enduring peace is dignified repatriation of Afghan refugees. The COAS reassured the Afghan side 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-discussion aimed at addressing mutual concerns. The Afghan CGS agreed to the proposal and thanked the COAS for his relentless efforts towards peace.
This piece originally appeared The Nation on August 28, 2017. Original link.
