Islamabad: Pakistani army chief General Raheel Sharif on Saturday underscored the need for a just resolution of the Kashmir issue for regional peace.
He was addressing a ceremony to honour 1,200 graduating cadets at the Pakistan Military Academy at Kakul which included 45 from friendly countries.
“Lasting peace in the region will only come about with the fair and just resolution of Kashmir issue in accordance with the will of Kashmiri people as enshrined in the UN resolution,” he said.
The dispute over the Himalayan region of Kashmir, divided between Pakistan and India and claimed by both in full, remains on the agenda of the UN Security Council, which more than six decades ago passed resolutions envisaging a referendum.
India and Pakistan have fought two wars over Kashmir since their 1947 independence and the dispute continues to impede normalisation of relations between the two major South Asian neighbours, both nuclear powers since 1998.
General Sharif also called attention to the situation of the people in Indian-controlled part of Kashmir saying, “Coercion and repression of the Kashmiri people will never shake their confidence to ultimately exercise their freedom of choice promised by the international community.
“It is our firm belief that the determination of our Kashmiri brethren and collective conscience of free world will bear fruit and their aspirations will eventually be realised,” he said.
The two countries concluded in 2003 a ceasefire accord for the Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border in Kashmir. Occasional skirmishes between their troops have however occurred on the LoC, the latest being this month in which both sides reported civilian casualties with tensions still prevailing.
Referring to Afghanistan, Gen Sharif said, “We sincerely pray the new political dispensation in Afghanistan brings peace, stability and prosperity to the people of Afghanistan and the region at large.”
“Pakistan Army in its capacity will do all that is necessary to support Afghan Security Forces in every possible manner,” he said.
Speaking on the internal situation in Pakistan, the army chief laid stress on adhering to democratic values.
“Like all devoted Pakistanis we want our country to prosper and earn its rightful place in the comity of nations, in line with the vision of Mohammad Ali Jinnah.
“It is a proven fact that the surest way of realising this dream is through unequivocal commitment to true democratic values and rule of law. We stand for these virtues in letter and spirit and any reservations about our intent are not only misplaced but also detrimental for the country,” he said.
While stating that the army is highly experienced and battle hardened, he said the ongoing ‘Zarb-e-Azb’ military offensive against terrorists in North Waziristan tribal region “is not merely an operation, it is a concept, it is a resolve and a commitment of the nation.”
“The commitment is to cleanse Pakistan of the scourge of terrorism once and for all. Pakistan army is at the cutting-edge of this resolve.”
Claiming that the operation was “delivering decisive results”, he said law enforcement agencies aided by intelligence agencies are also playing a commendable role in hunting down terrorists and their networks across the country.
