Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Hours after the Foreign Office strongly reacted to US Vice President Mike Pence’s remarks, Pakistan Army Friday also warned Washington that such statements could ‘undermine’ the ongoing war against terrorism.

In an interview to a private TV channel, DG ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor said, “We need nothing from US, but acknowledgement for our contributions, our sacrifices and our efforts for peace in the region.” He said Pakistan did not fight the war against terror for money and that it only needs acknowledgement of its sacrifices and contributions. Referring to the start of the war, he said, “We all know how the war on terror started and how it was imposed upon us … we have fought it as our own war in the best interest of our country.” “We did whatever we had to in the interest of Pakistan and what we do in the future will also be in our interest,” he added. The DG ISPR said that Afghanistan’s war will not be fought again on Pakistani soil. He said there have been plenty of discussions regarding measures which needed to be taken on Pak-Afghan border management. He said that Afghanistan’s war was imposed on Pakistan.

He also stressed on the need for elimination of terror dens inside Afghanistan. “Pakistan has repeatedly urged for eliminating TTP leadership present inside Afghanistan,” he said. Maj-Gen Ghafoor said US can give India any status it wants to, but any role which gives India permission to work against Pakistan’s interests will not be acceptable to the country. The DG ISPR said if US supports Pakistan, terrorism could be eliminated altogether. “We have cleared our areas of terrorists. Afghan forces are responsible for such elements present on other side of the border … they need to chase them,” he added.

Published in Daily Times, December 23^rd 2017.