It is the Armed Forces’ duty to transform challenges, faced by the country, into opportunities for stability and prosperity of the nation. Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Tuesday said this while presiding over the 237th Corps Commanders’ Conference at General Headquarters here, said an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release. “Pakistan Army, with support of state institutions and the nation, is fully prepared to thwart all internal and external challenges, ” the COAS said. He specifically directed all commanders to ensure measures to support the national effort. The forum reviewed the geo-strategic, regional and national security environment and discussed internal security, the situation along borders, Line of Control (LoC) and the atrocities in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K). It also took a comprehensive overview of the positive progress in the Afghan Peace Process. The forum showed serious concern in the wake of irrefutable evidence of Indian state-sponsored terrorism and efforts to destabilize Pakistan. It emphasized that Indian efforts to sabotage CPEC, involvement in financing and training of terrorist organizations for fomenting unrest in Pakistan, especially in AJK, GB and Balochistan, were an affront to peace and security in the region. Deliberating upon the recent surge in ceasefire violations by the Indian Army, the forum resolved to take all measures, necessary to protect the innocent population living along LoC from Indian firing deliberately targeting the civil population. It expressed strong will, resolve, and determination to defend the motherland against any misadventure. The forum also deliberated upon the COVID-19 situation and measures required to confront the pandemic in the wake of the second wave. The ISPR on Twitter said the military commanders “showed serious concern in the wake of irrefutable evidence of Indian state-sponsored terrorism and efforts to destabilize Pakistan”. FO: Pakistan has dismissed the “baseless speculations” that the country is contemplating to normalise its ties with Israel. “Responding to media queries, the spokesperson [Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri] categorically rejected baseless speculation regarding possibility of recognition of the State of Israel by Pakistan,” the Foreign Office said in a statement on Tuesday. The statement came amid speculative media reports that Pakistan might be considering recognising Israel as Arab countries are gradually embracing the Jewish state. “I have seen press reports about a purported meeting between HRH the Crown Prince and Israeli officials during the recent visit by @SecPompeo. No such meeting occurred. The only officials present were American and Saudi,” Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said in a tweet. There have been reports that Pakistan has been under pressure from the United States as well as a ‘friendly countries’ to recognise Israel. The FO spokesperson, however, underlined that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s statements in this context had been clear and unequivocal. “The prime minister has made it clear that unless a just settlement of the Palestine issue, satisfactory to the Palestinian people, is found, Pakistan cannot recognise Israel.” He further said Pakistan steadfastly supports the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination. “For just and lasting peace, it is imperative to have a two-state solution in accordance with the relevant United Nations and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) resolutions, with the pre-1967 borders, and Al-Quds Al-Sharif as the capital of a viable, independent and contiguous Palestinian State.” Meanwhile, Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri, describing the purported briefing by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs as “yet another attempt to mischievously implicate Pakistan in some alleged planned attack in the IIOJK”, said on Tuesday that Pakistan would continue exposing India and not let the world community be misled by the Indian propaganda. The spokesperson stated that following the presentation of the Dossier by Pakistan containing irrefutable evidence of India’s active planning, promoting, aiding, abetting, financing, and execution of terrorist activities in the country, the Indian government had escalated its anti-Pakistan campaign, marked by false narratives, concocted evidence, and orchestration of false flag operations. “The purported briefing by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs is yet another attempt to mischievously implicate Pakistan in some alleged planned attack in IIOJK,” he remarked.