Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Afghan leadership on Saturday invited Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Bajwa to visit Afghanistan. The invitation came during a telephonic conversation with the Afghan leadership.

Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa contacted the Afghan civil and military leadership and pledged to work for peace in the region.

According to Inter-Services Public Relations Director General Major General Asif Ghafoor, the top general talked to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah and Afghan army chief General Qadam Shah Raheem. The army chief conveyed his best wishes for 2017 and pledged to work for peace in the region.

General Qamar Bajwa said peace in both the countries is in the greater interest of the region. The Afghan leadership invited the army chief to visit Afghanistan, the spokesman added.

After assuming his office General Bajwa has contacted the Afghan leadership for the first time, sources said, adding that the COAS is likely to visit Afghanistan anytime soon. The dates for the visit will be finalised through military and diplomatic channels.

Sources said that the decision to contact the Afghan leadership was taken on Saturday during a meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and President Mamnoon Hussain.

During the meeting, the civil and military leadership pledged on the New Year eve that all steps would be taken to make Pakistan terror-free. The meeting also vowed to not let terrorists use Pakistani soil against another country.

Sources told Daily Times that civil-military leadership sat together in Presidency on Saturday and discussed internal security. President Mamnoon Hussain, after awarding the Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Military) to Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Zubair Mehmood Hayat and Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Bajwa, invited Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and services chiefs over tea.

The president and PM congratulated General Zubair and General Bajwa for earning military awards and hailed their professionalism. Sources said a complete harmony was seen between the civil-military leadership on the issues related to national importance. Nawaz was of the view that security and law and order was better in 2016 and it will be far more better in 2017 as the government was committed to eliminating terrorism from Pakistan.

They also discussed the outcome of Operation Zarb-e-Azb and National Action Plan and it was agreed that all steps would be taken to consolidate the successes against terrorism. They praised the exemplary coordination among the three services and said joint efforts were vital to counter the challenges.

Earlier, President Mamnoon Hussain awarded Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Military) to Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Zubair Hayat and COAS General Bajwa. The ceremony was attended by chairman senate, National Assembly speaker, members of the federal cabinet and services chiefs.