Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudry Pervaiz Elahi said on Sunday that silent diplomacy of Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has played a very important and effective role in pulling Pakistan out of isolation at international level. “Until some time back, Pakistan was facing difficulties at the international level. Negativity had erupted also in bilateral relation with once friendly countries like Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Iran. The Army chief general visited these countries, held meetings with the leaders of these countries and removed their reservations. In the last 17 years, General Bajwa is the first Army chief who visited Iran and met its top leadership. As a result of these visits and meetings, Pakistan’s relations with these countries turned into an atmosphere of mutual trust once again,” he said. He further maintained that sincere efforts of General Bajwa for peace in Afghanistan are proving fruitful as he has visited Afghanistan four times and his efforts are being appreciated internationally. Responding to questions from the media, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said that meetings of General Bajwa with high level leadership of China regarding China Pakistan Economic Corridor have played a key role in restoration of trust. After his visits to Turkey, Egypt and Qatar, Pakistan’s diplomatic relations have grown in positivity. Pervaiz Elahi said that inauguration of Kartarpur Corridor has also exposed India’s hostile propaganda against Pakistan and for the first time, Indian leadership seems to be on the back foot on diplomatic front. He said that services of General Qamar Javed Bajwa for national security and solidarity of Pakistan have become an important chapter of our history and will always be remembered. Published in Daily Times, December 24th 2018.