Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Tuesday said that India and Pakistan need to resolve the Jammu and Kashmir dispute peacefully, and that it was time to recommit to peace for a secure future of the region, Dawn reported.
“Pakistan and India must also resolve the longstanding issue of Jammu and Kashmir in a dignified and peaceful manner as per the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and bring this human tragedy to its logical conclusion,” Bajwa said.
“It is time to extend hand of peace in all directions,” he said at the graduation ceremony of the Pakistan Air Force cadets.
Bajwa also spoke about Pakistan’s love for peace. “Pakistan is a peace-loving country that has rendered great sacrifices for regional and global peace,” he said. “We stand firmly committed to the ideal of mutual respect and peaceful co-existence.”
The Army chief, however, warned that his statement on peace should not be taken as a sign of weakness, reported IANS. “The armed forces of Pakistan are fully capable and prepared to thwart any threat.”
India is yet to react to the general’s statement. An unidentified counter-terror official told the Hindustan Times that it was too early to conclude that General Bajwa had changed his position on India. “We will need to track if this is a one-off comment or there are other indicators of a possible change as well,” he said.
The official said that Pakistan would to have to take steps to dismantle the terror infrastructure on its soil so that New Delhi was convinced that the country was serious about improving ties.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!