RAWALPINDI: Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir has said that Pakistan wishes to develop itself as a hub of connectivity and a gateway to Central Asia and beyond, a statement released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said yesterday.

Speaking to media and think tanks in the United States during his maiden trip, the army chief further highlighted that the country "eschews bloc politics" and believes in maintaining balanced relationships with all friendly countries, adding that “Pakistan is a country of consequence both from the geopolitical and geoeconomic perspectives”.

According to the military's media wing, General Munir also discussed matters of regional security, transnational terrorism and the importance of maintaining strategic stability in South Asia from Pakistan’s perspective. The army chief shared Pakistan’s desire to broaden bilateral engagement with the US through a long-term multi-domain partnership.

The COAS highlighted that his interactions with the political and military leadership of the US were very positive and that he looked forward to further strengthening the relationship, the military’s media wing added. In his interaction, the COAS held that Pakistan has continuously stood as a bulwark against transnational terrorism for decades, ensuring regional stability and global peace as well as security.

He maintained that the nation “has made unparalleled contributions and sacrifices in its enduring fight against terrorism and will continue to fight till the logical end, in line with the aspirations of the people of Pakistan”.

On the other hand, the COAS stressed the need for the resolution of the Kashmir issue as per the aspiration of the people of Kashmir and the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions, the ISPR stated. “Kashmir is an internationally accepted dispute and no unilateral action can alter the nature of this dispute against the wishes of millions of people of the area.”

The military’s media wing further said that the COAS also emphatically emphasised the immediate need to end the suffering in Gaza, the provision of humanitarian assistance and the implementation of the two-state solution for enduring peace in the region. General Munir was received by the Ambassador of Pakistan to the US on his arrival.

Published in The Daily National Courier, December, 21 2023

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