Pakistan contributes to Afghanistan's stability
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Pakistani Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Pervez Ashfaq Kayani Monday said that the army operations in Pakistani areas against militants have helped improve situation in Afghanistan.
Kayani made the remarks while talking to a group of foreign correspondents at General Headquarters in the garrison city of Rawalpindi on his return from Brussels, where he had gone to attend the conference of NATO commanders on a special invitation.
He said that Pakistan has contributed to bring peace and stability in Afghanistan, adding Pakistan is also offering to train Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police.
The army chief said that operations by Pakistani forces in 2009 have helped in improving situation in Afghanistan in term of squeezing of spaces, better control of areas and continuous logistic flow. He reiterated that Pakistan should be trusted.
Kayani identified five fundamentals that helped in turning tide in the operations against militants. These are public opinion, media support, army's capability and resolve and "our war" was not "U.S. war".
The army chief said that he conveyed the concerns, challenges, contributions and constraints of Pakistan in the fight against the terrorists during the conference in Brussels. He said that he informed the NATO commanders that Pakistan's strategic paradigm needs to be fully realized.
The army chief drew the attention of the forum towards the huge sacrifices made by the people of Pakistan and its armed forces in the military operations. He said that Pakistan has suffered the maximum in terms of human and economic losses due to terrorism and violent extremism.
He said that Pakistani forces have the will and resolve to overcome the menace of terrorism in their country and the army enjoys the public support in this connection.
In 2009, Pakistan launched several successful operations in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) bordering Afghanistan, and Swat district in North Western part of Pakistan.
So far Pakistan security forces has cleared Swat, dispersed militants in South Waziristan, hometown of Tehrek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leaders.
