Shakeel 
ISLAMABAD: Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa said that Pakistan had come to the realisation that without ensuring “our own house in order, nothing worthwhile could be expected from outside”.
He was speaking to a moot titled ‘Islamabad security dialogue’, on Thursday, organised by the National Security Division here in Islamabad.
“We have known that unless we put our own house is in order, nothing better could be expected from outside,” he said. Now, when we have overpowered the menace of terrorism and extremism, Pakistan has taken the path to work towards sustainable development and improving socio-economic conditions of under-developed areas,” the COAS said.
General Bajwa said Pakistan was all-set to settle all longstanding disputes with its neighbours via dialogue in a peaceful and dignified manner. However, he added, the choice of peace was not a result of any pressure but based on rationality.
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“Let me say that we are ready to better the environment by solving all our outstanding issues with our neighbours by engaging in dialogue in a peaceful and dignified manner,” the COAS said.
“It is our sincerest wish to re-cast Pakistan’s image as a friendly, peace-loving nation and a useful member of the international fraternity,” he maintained.
He said the key to a successful Indo-Pak relationship was to unlock the untapped potential of Central and South by establishing connectivity between East and West Asia.
This potential, he said, forever remained a victim to issues and disputes between the two nuclear neighbours. “Kashmir dispute is the head of all these problems. It is very important to understand that without resolving the Kashmir dispute through peaceful instruments, the process of sub-continental peace will always remain a victim to falling off-track due to politically-motivated bellicosity,” he said.
