Pakistan

Pakistan wants cordial ties with India without compromising: army chief

General Raheel's statement comes hours after PM Nawaz offers four-point peace roadmap to India

Web Desk October 01, 2015

PHOTO: FILE

Army chief General Raheel Sharif has said Pakistan wants cordial relations with India but without any compromise on its honour and sovereignty, Express News reported on Thursday.

“Pakistan wants better relations with all its neighbours, including Afghanistan and India, but it will not compromise on its honour and sovereignty,” the army chief said, while addressing a dinner hosted in his honour by the Pakistan High Commissioner to the UK, Ibne Abbas.

Read: UNGA address: Nawaz offers four-point peace roadmap to India

General Raheel’s statement came hours after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif proposed a new peace initiative with India centred around the demilitarisation of the disputed territory of Kashmir.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, PM Nawaz outlined a four-point initiative to de-escalate tensions between the two nuclear-armed countries.

Expressing his hope to uproot the menace of terrorism from the country, the General Raheel vowed to complete the military operation Zarb-e-Azb against terrorists at all costs.

Read: From 3 to 4 years: Govt backs longer tenure for army chief

“Pakistan Army successfully conducted around 10,000 intelligence-based operations across the country, killing terrorists and their abettors,” the army chief said.

General Raheel went on to add that operation against criminals in Karachi has restored peace in the city, claiming that the Pakistan Army enjoys support of the whole nation in its war against terror.

Terming the rehabilitation of the displaced persons a huge challenge, the COAS said the IDPs are being repatriated in the northern areas.

Read: CPEC benefits can be shared with Afghanistan: army chief

Further, General Raheel said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project will not only bring economic prosperity in the region but will also open doors of foreign investment in the country. “Britain is our ally and we want good relations with it,” General Raheel said.

COMMENTS (40)

RAIS AKBAR | 9 years ago | Reply Indians, please learn to live in peace with all neighbours who are small in land size. You have to respect and accept them as nations. Your hegemonic mindset will never be accepted nor it will bring peace in the region. Only destruction and destabilisation which will leave vacuum for "other powers" to be in place. Statement of Indra Gandhi on Indian subcontinent division, Indian military interference in Maldives during Rajiv Gandhi tenure, on record Indian acceptance of Bangladesh creation and Nepal interference (very recent examples). Please go through the historical facts and spare the region from your designs.

HG | 9 years ago | Reply @Pukudenguta: Same question I am asking. Please help

VIEW MORE COMMENTS

mahakaalchakra | 9 years ago | Reply @S.R.H. Hashmi: Suggestion: You should start submitting your own articles in ET rather long posts. ET has been very kind to you.

mahakaalchakra | 9 years ago | Reply @such bolta hoon: Read the recent statements of Rahil. He is the one repeatedly declaring "Kashmir is an unfinished agenda of Pakistan". How can COAS declare such a thing against a neighboring country with whom you want to have cordial ties?

such bolta hoon | 9 years ago | Reply I think comments from General Raheel have definitely constipated most Indians. Rest assured our General is a true Pakistani hero and has the courage to say what he said. The nation is with him.

Tom | 9 years ago | Reply @Haider: And you heard the stinging reply to you from the Indian foreign minister.!!!!!!!!!!!!!

mahakaalchakra | 9 years ago | Reply @3rdRockFromTheSun: RAW snatched the Dossier from RAWalpindi as it had RAW stamped on it

Tarun Kumar | 9 years ago | Reply @stranger: If u care to read about the issue, it is not india which is imposing the blockade but the madhesis of southern nepal.

ex Minor | 9 years ago | Reply @Ch. Allah Daad: Yes he is our foreign minister, defence minister, prime minister and every post you can i route which Mr Parvemagine. Any problem? No problem sir, just a question, when do you reckon he will become the chairman, the real CEO, instead of the current portfolio of being called a co chairman? Or is he afraid to follow the route which his predecessor Musharaf tooK? Rex Minor

Ram Dargad | 9 years ago | Reply @stranger: ''not like the way Nepalese ..'' May be you should substitute 'Nepal & India' by 'Afghanistan & Pakistan' in your comment, to understand this complex issue. At least India is not accused of engineering terrorist attacks in Nepal. India does not forbid Nepal to transport imported goods through Indian territory the way Pakistan forbids Afghanistan to import Indian goods through Pakistani territory. At the same time, India can not push the trucks in the disturbed areas of Nepal, when it is too risky. India & Nepal have a special relationship- Nepali citizens are allowed to enter without visa & work freely in India. India has been giving friendly advise to Nepal in good faith which is not always accepted by Nepali politicians due to their own vested interests.

S.R.H. Hashmi | 9 years ago | Reply While addressing a dinner hosted in his honour by the Pakistan High Commissioner to the UK, Ibne Abbas, the army chief said “Pakistan wants better relations with all its neighbours, including Afghanistan and India, but it will not compromise on its honour and sovereignty.” Now, getting pin-pricks from India on its eastern border, and with the initial brief period of goodwill and trust between Pakistan and Afghanistan having come to an end, and with Iran developing much closer cooperation with India, and the state of militancy, extremism and terrorism within the country, our need for peace seems to be far greater than that of India. And while Pakistan has declared its intention to have better relations with India, and at times, our neighbours have also expressed similar sentiment, such statements on their own are unable to develop an atmosphere of peace and cooperation between the named countries. What is therefore needed is to translate these good wishes into practical measures which, when implemented, will create an environment that makes it possible to attain the desired objectives. And while working out these measures, instead of repeating parrot-like the points which were valid many decades back, we have to keep in mind that these points have since been superseded by subsequent events and developments. Therefore, instead of just dwelling in the past, which will not really serve any useful purpose, we should be prepared to take a realistic view of the changed circumstances and deal with the situation as it is now. Obviously, such an approach will necessitate making compromises, though not on our sovereignty or honour. Such an approach will also mean that instead of giving people living in Indian-occupied Kashmir high hopes which may be too ambitious and unattainable for that reason, and the pursuit of which invites retaliation and repression from the Indian forces, we should be persuading Kashmiris to have modest goals which would improve their quality of life, and will, at the same time, be acceptable to Indian government. It is in this respect that we are seriously handicapped because of the absence of a competent and experienced foreign minister which a country in a situation like ours can not really do without. The absence of a proper foreign minister has also had the unfortunate effect of creating a vacuum which in our case has been filled by amateurs who neither have the expertise nor the temperament for dealing with a very specialist field like foreign relations. As for Karachi operation, it has indeed brought much needed relief to the city. However, MQM has expressed some serious reservations about the torture, extra-judicial killings and disappearance of its workers. We also had the case of Qamar Mansoor whose treatment left a lot to desire. And now Pakistan Peoples Party is vocal about why only Sindh province has been selected for pursuing the corruption cases. It has also complained about treatment meted out to Dr. Asim Hussain. And Dawn report of October 1 gives unsavoury details of how under treatment patient Dr. Asim Hussain was taken away by Rangers along with his medical record without even informing the hospital. Perhaps there is a need to be a bit more civil in such matters. Karachi

Arijit Sharma | 9 years ago | Reply Evacuate your forces from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan. This is the only way to achieve cordial ties.

curious2 | 9 years ago | Reply @Ch. Allah Daad:

Yes he is our foreign minister, defence minister, prime minister and every post you can imagine. Any problem?

Yeah - Pakistan is suppose to be a Democracy where the people are suppose to elect their leaders - the military isn't suppose to act as foreign minister, prime minister etc.

3rdRockFromTheSun | 9 years ago | Reply Whatever happened to the "dossier" which had "evidence" of Indian involvement of terrorism in Pakistan being bandied about by the PM and Mr. Sartaj Aziz, which they had promised to "expose India to the world" at the UN and at their many previous US visits? Haven't heard a peep on that...

Aleem | 9 years ago | Reply @Pukudenguta: We'd prefer a military leader taking over the country over a fundamentalist murderer running our country any day, any time.

Aftab | 9 years ago | Reply Though he is socalled professional solidier yet he lacks the guts to avoid interference in civilian matters.

someone | 9 years ago | Reply India has the same stance. India wishes to have cordial relations with Pakistan without compromising its territorial sovereignty. So please, stop asking about Kashmir. It was not meant to be your part any way. You guys have wasted at least 3 generations of yours and Kashmirs over it so please spare your future generation the pain that you guys are going through.

Navin | 9 years ago | Reply Looking at pak people comments it seems they want dictatorship style back and democracy go for toss. The love for his unnecessary statements creates pressure on existing pm. Lets pm be the captain guys. He should know his job role....

Sandip | 9 years ago | Reply @Begistan: He is the entire cabinet of Pakistan - the sole decision maker. His word is the law. As it happens in any dictatorship in the world.

Bangistan | 9 years ago | Reply As if Talks till now have yield lot of results

AnisAqeel | 9 years ago | Reply Our military must improve in their profession to handle 2000 terrorists with one hundred heads of military force that has all the equipment not the other way round. That can be achieved only by realizing its weaknesses and improving professionally without poking in civilian matters. Maashaallah our forces have all to defend but the wisdom, without any prejudiced.

shahid | 9 years ago | Reply @SB: YES;

Pakistani | 9 years ago | Reply We can not blame the Indians for their reaction because whenever Gen Raheel speaks, it scares the life out of Indians.

Pankaj | 9 years ago | Reply @Ch. Allah Daad: "@Begistan: Yes he is our foreign minister, defence minister, prime minister and every post you can imagine. Any problem?" No dude no problem at all.... just wanted to cross check if the definition of democracy is updated recently.

Love for General | 9 years ago | Reply Love you General, Pride of Pakistan.

Ch. Allah Daad | 9 years ago | Reply @Begistan: Yes he is our foreign minister, defence minister, prime minister and every post you can imagine. Any problem?

stranger | 9 years ago | Reply @Pukudenguta: In simple words relationship based on mutual respect not like the way Nepalese are being threatened and dictated through Blockade and not the way instruction are being passed from Delhi through their foreign secretary to Formulate their constitution as per wishes of India not through deliberation of democratically elected assembly by the Nepalese voters.

Pankaj | 9 years ago | Reply Stage has been set for Army rule in Pakistan.

Modest | 9 years ago | Reply "No talks" suits India just fine.

Nature_Lover | 9 years ago | Reply You are true son of the soil! The entire nation is behind you General.

The Failed Rebel | 9 years ago | Reply @All Indians: This is called compulsive intervention. When corrupt stooges rule the civilian government someone has to fill in the void. The only reason Nawaz Sharif raised all the issues he did in UNSC was because if he didn't, General Raheel would. Nawaz Sharif, already being a very unpopular ruler, is forced to talk about Kashmir, which is definitely bad for the business he wants to do with India. However solution of Kashmir isn't possible till both countries are ruled visionary leaders who put morals and ethics before anything else. The likes of criminal Nawaz and criminal Modi cannot resolve a sewerage dispute.

SB | 9 years ago | Reply Why he speaks on foreign policy matters almost everyday? Is he calling the shots in Islamabad overtly now?

Patriotic Pakistani | 9 years ago | Reply Good going chief.... Well done..

Human | 9 years ago | Reply @Begistan: He can make a statement if he wants

Pukudenguta | 9 years ago | Reply Can someone define "Pakistan's honour and sovereignty".

Pukudenguta | 9 years ago | Reply @Begistan: No, he is not the Foreign Minister, he is the Emperor of Pakistan. Within one year and three months, he is going to dismiss his Prime Minister.

Haider | 9 years ago | Reply @Vectra Forced civilian govt???? no Kashmir issue no talks..Yesterday head of civilian govt emphasised on Kashmir and he is praised by his people...Take your conspiracy theories with you

Point | 9 years ago | Reply @Begistan: Yes he is foreign minister of Pakistan, any problem ? He is not speaking for your country so just stop!! @Vectra: Because you only wanted to discuss things which favors you and we want to discuss on ALL issues. But india runs away when things come to talking about ALL issues

Vectra | 9 years ago | Reply India knows how much good relation you wants,that is why you forced the civilian govt to cancel NSA talks with India

Begistan | 9 years ago | Reply Is he the 'foreign minister' of Pak?

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