Daily Times

Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa Thursday said that lasting peace in the sub-continent will remain elusive until the resolution of the Kashmir issue, stressing that it is time for India and Pakistan to ‘bury the past and move forward’.

“Stable Indo-Pak relations are a key to unlock the untapped potential of South and Central Asia by ensuring connectivity between East and West Asia. This potential however, has forever remained hostage to disputes and issues between two nuclear neighbours,” the army chief noted while addressing the audience on day two of the first-ever Islamabad Security Dialogue. “Kashmir dispute is obviously at the head of this problem. It is important to understand that the without the resolution of Kashmir dispute through peaceful means, process of sub-continental rapprochement will always remain susceptible to derailment due to politically motivated bellicosity,” he went on to say. “However, we feel that it is time to bury the past and move forward. But for resumption of peace process or meaningful dialogue, our neighbour will have to create conducive environment, particularly in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir,” he maintained.

Commenting on the security challenges, the army chief said that it is almost universally acknowledged fact that the contemporary concept of national security is not only about protecting a country from internal and external threats but also providing conducive environment in which aspirations of human security, national progress and development could be realized. “Surely, it is not solely a function of armed forces any more. National security in the age of globalization, information and connectivity has now become an all-encompassing notion; wherein, besides various elements of national power, global and regional environment also play a profound role national security is thus multi-layered: outer layers being the exogenous factors of global and regional environment and inner layers being the endogenous factors of internal peace, stability and developmental orientation,” he said.

“A nation at peace and a region in harmony are thus essential prerequisites for attainment of national security in the true spirit. No national leaders of today can ignore these factors. No single nation in isolation, can perceive and further its quest for security, as every single issue and security dilemma faced by today’s world is intimately linked with global and regional dynamics. Whether it be human security, extremism, human rights, environmental hazards, economic security or pandemics, responding in silos is no longer an option,” Gen Bajwa said. “The world has seen ravages of world wars and Cold War, wherein polarization and neglect of virtues blighted human future and brought catastrophic consequences for humanity,” he further said. “On the contrary, we have witnessed how multilateral rule-based platforms contributed towards good of mankind. Today we face the similar choices; whether to stay etched in the acrimony and toxicity of the past, continue promoting conflict and get into another vicious cycle of war, disease and destruction; or to move ahead, bring the dividends of our technological and scientific advancements to our people and usher in a new era of peace and prosperity,” he added.

The army chief said today, the leading drivers of change in the world are demography, economy and technology. “However, one issue which remains central to this concept is economic security and cooperation. Frayed relations between various power centres of the globe and boomeranging of competing alliances can bring nothing but another stint of cold war,” he maintained.

“It is naive to apply the failed solutions of yester years to the challenges of today and tomorrow. It is important for the world that the leading global players must reach a stable equilibrium in their relations through convergences instead of divergence,” he stressed. “In this environment, developing countries like Pakistan, today faces multi-dimensional challenges, which cannot be navigated single-handedly. Similar situation is confronted by other countries in our region as well, therefore, we all require a multilateral global and regional approach and cooperation to overcome these challenges,” he added.

Gen Bajwa said despite tremendous human and resource potential, the unsettled disputes are dragging South Asia back to the swamp of poverty and underdevelopment. “On top of it, despite being one of the most impoverished regions of the world, we end up spending a lot of money on our defence, which naturally conies at the expense of human development,” he noted. “Pakistan has been one of the few countries which despite the rising security challenges has resisted the temptation of involving itself into an arms race. Our defense expenditures have rather reduced instead of increasing. This is not an easy undertaking especially once you live in a hostile and unstable neighbourhood,” he maintained. “We are ready to improve our environment by resolving all our outstanding issues with our neighbours through dialogue in a dignified and peaceful manner. However, it is important to state that, this choice is deliberate and based on rationality and not as a result of any pressure. It is our sincere desire to re-cast Pakistan’s image as a peace-loving nation and a useful member of international community,” he added. “We have learned from the past to evolve and are willing to move ahead towards a new future, however, all this is contingent upon reciprocity.”

Gen Bajwa said Pakistan will continue to emphasize on a sustained and inclusive peace process for the betterment of people of Afghanistan and regional peace. “Moreover, besides offering our all-out support to Afghan peace process, we have also undertaken unprecedented steps to enhance Afghanistan’s trade and connectivity,” he added.

The COAS said Pakistan is a nation with tremendous geo-economic potential. “In order to carve a promising future for our people, it is important for us to embark upon a solid economic roadmap, backed up by infrastructural developments and regional integration. Our choices with respect to the same have been clear and explicit,” he said. “This geo-economic vision is centred around core pillars of moving towards a lasting and enduring peace within and outside; non-interference of any kind in the internal affairs of our neighbouring and regional countries; boosting intra-regional trade and connectivity and bringing sustainable development and prosperity through establishment of investment and economic hubs within the region,” he added.

The COAS said Pakistan Army has contributed tremendously towards this national cause by rebuilding and mainstreaming some of the most neglected areas through massive development drives besides ensuring peace and security. “Our long campaign against the tide of terrorism and extremism manifests our resolve and national will. We have come long way and yet we are a bit short of our final objective but we are determined to stay the course,” he said.

Gen Bajwa said CPEC has been at the heart of Pakistan’s economic transformation plan and “we have left no quarter to declare its necessity for addressing our economic woes.” “Our sincere efforts to make it inclusive, transparent and attractive for all global and regional players, with the aim of bringing its benefits to everyone. While CPEC remains central to our vision, only seeing Pakistan through CPEC prism is also misleading. Our immensely vital geostrategic location and a transformed vision makes us a country of immense and diverse potential which can very positively contribute to regional development and prosperity,” he further said. “This vision however remains incomplete without a stable and peaceful South Asia. Our efforts for reviving SAARC, therefore, are with the same purpose. Our efforts for peace in Afghanistan. responsible and mature behavior in crisis situation with India manifest our desire to change the narrative of geo-political contestation into geo-economic integration,” he added.

Gen Bajwa said Pakistan sees a hope in the form of incoming US administration which can transform the traditional contestation into a gainful economic win-win for the world in general and the region in particular. “It is time that we in South Asia create synergy through connectivity, peaceful co-existence and resource sharing to fight hunger, illiteracy and disease instead of fighting each other,” he concluded.