National News

ISLAMABAD, (APP): National Security adviser Lt.
General (Retd.) Nasir Khan Janjua Tuesday said Pakistan always
remained a symbol of global peace and stability.
Addressing the opening session of a day-long international
conference titled “Promoting Global Peace: Drivers for Transnational
Cooperation,” he said people of Pakistan and its Armed Forces
rendered unmatched sacrifices in the war against terrorism and for
the cause of peace.
The conference was organized by the Global Affairs, an
international magazine, and Pakistan House – an independent think
tank based in Copenhagen, Denmark.
He said Pakistan had been fighting war against terrorism on
behalf of the whole world and nobody knew significance of peace
better than it.
He urged the international community to acknowledge Pakistan’s
sacrifices for global peace.
He said Pakistani nation showed great resilience despite the
fact that it faced the menace of terrorism and subsequent economic
losses amounting to billions of dollars.
He said Pakistan was making steadfast progress and playing a
key role for seeking, preserving and promoting global peace despite
all the difficulties.
The adviser presented some facts and figures about the Soviet
Union’s invasion in Afghanistan and Pakistan’s role, saying that the
international community left the region after achieving the task
without considering that what would be the fate of people of the
region.
He said Pakistan faced militancy as some groups picked up arms
to challenge writ of the state, but it effectively tackled the
disgruntled elements.
For no fault, he said, people of Pakistan carried heaviest
coffins of their near and dear ones, and suffered billions of
dollars loss.
He also sympathized with people of Afghanistan and said that
its children saw nothing except war and bloodshed.
Janjua said Pakistan had increased its strategic capabilities
and was maintaining minimum credible deterrence for peaceful co-
existence and balance of power in the region.
He was of the view that Pakistan and India should resolve
their bilateral issues amicably, saying that the disputes must be
resolved rather than leaving for the coming generations.
He said both the nuclear states could not afford hostility for
longer duration, adding that they would have to invest in peace for
progress and prosperity of the region.
The adviser expressed confidence that Pakistan would soon
become a progressive country, better than ever, and a gateway to
China and the Central Asian States.
Director General Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad
Masood Khan underlined the need for bringing reforms in the agenda
of United Nations Security Council for achieving durable peace in
the world.
“We need to ensure rule of law and respect the UN charter.
Peace building agenda of UN should be upgraded as weak institutions
create vacuums,” he added.