Jehad prerogative of state only: Gen Bajwa

RAWALPINDI: Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa said on Wednesday that according to the teachings of Islam, Jehad is  the prerogative and responsibility of the state.

He told the misguided people what they had been doing was not ‘Jehad’ but ‘Fasaad, saying that their homeland and people were suffering the most due to their attitude.

General Bajwa, while mentioning operations starting from ‘Sherdil’ to ongoing ‘Raddul Fasaad’, also gave a categorical message to the world that it was time for the ‘world to do more’ as Pakistan had done more on its part. “If Pakistan has not done enough in the war against terrorism, nobody has done anything in this direction,” he said.

General Bajwa, while maintaining that the war imposed on Pakistan would be taken to  its logical end, asked the world powers not to hold Pakistan responsible for their failures.

“We will take the war imposed on us to its logical end. If the world powers cannot strengthen our hands in achieving our objectives, they should not hold Pakistan responsible for their failures.”

General Bajwa, while addressing a prestigious ceremony held at the GHQ in connection with the Defence and Martyrs Day on Wednesday night, said, “God forbid, if Pakistan fails in the ongoing war, this world will face serious threats.” 

The chief of the army staff also laid a floral wreath at the ‘Yadgar-e-Shuhada’. The ceremony was also attended by relatives of Shuhada, the federal ministers of defence, interior, foreign affairs, other cabinet members, the opposition leader in the National Assembly, National Assembly speaker, chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Chief of Naval Staff and Chief of the Air Staff, senior military and civil officials.

Former army chiefs General (retd) Ishfaq Parvez Kayani and General (retd) Raheel Sharif also attended the event.

General Bajwa, while paying rich tributes to the Shuhada, said that the blood of Shuhada is due on the nation. “The history does not forgive those who forget sacrifices rendered by Shuhada,” he said.

General Bajwa said in the presence of a large number of diplomats that the army could put an end to terrorism but inorder to root out extremism, it was necessary that every Pakistani should be a soldier of ‘Raddul Fasaad’ because it was an ideological and mental war. “Let us make such a Pakistan where use of power in accordance with Constitution and law should be in hands of the state,” he said.

Referring to the recent US policy announced by President Trump, he said that emotions of Pakistanis to this policy were apparent. “We do not want aid from America but we want cooperation and relations based on respect and trust,” he maintained stressing that sacrifices and actions of Pakistan for achieving peace should be recognised.

 He regretted that despite all efforts and sacrifices given by Pakistan, it is being alleged it had done nothing against terrorism. “Nobody has done anything if we have not done anything,” he said adding Pakistan is a bright example of successes against terrorism.

He told the international community that Pakistan had been paying the price of confrontation among the world powers in the form of terrorism, extremism and huge loss to its economy.

He said they would welcome the actions of Nato and the United States for achieving peace in the region particularly in Afghanistan but security concerns of Pakistan should also be addressed and resolved.

He said that Afghanistan was a sovereign state and was independent to take its decisions. “Pakistan will not become pa art of any war among different groups in Afghanistan but what Pakistan could do was help in return of Afghan refugees and secure the border between the two countries,” he said.

The army chief pointed out that in the recent past, Pakistan had suffered a huge loss. “Our enemy should know that we sacrifice our lives to safeguard every inch of our soil,” he said. During his speech, the army chief also reiterated that nobody could stop Pakistan from continuing its moral, diplomatic and political support to the Kashmiris.

He said India, instead of abusing Pakistan and using bullets against Kashmiris, should use diplomatic channels to resolve the Kashmir issue. “Instead of giving ‘Gali’ to Pakistan and ‘Goli’ against Kashmiris, India should use diplomatic channels to resolve the issue,” he said.

He made it clear on India that it should know that the struggle of the Kashmiri people in held Kashmir did not require any infiltration from Pakistan or Azad Kashmir. “But we will continue our moral, diplomatic and political support to Kashmiris and nobody can stop us from doing so,” he said, saying the Pakistani nation was grieved over the plight of Kashmiri people in held Kashmiri.

He mentioned that Pakistan had been a target of direct terrorism since 1971, saying that the role of India in dividing Pakistan in two parts and an open injustice in Kashmir were also before the world.

He pointed out that Pakistan was a responsible state and it was not Pakistan which brought the nuclear weapons in the region. “Our nuclear capability against our enemy is guarantee of peace in the region,” he said. He said that relations between Pakistan and China are based on mutual respect and the CPEC project is proof of these relations. “We believe this project is a guarantee of economy and peace in the region,” he said. He pointed out that they were also keeping a close eye on the activities of enemy, which wanted to target the CPEC and was also supporting separatist movements in Balochistan. “We salute the people of Balochistan who have foiled conspiracies of our enemy,” General Bajwa said adding that along with targeting the CPEC, the enemy also wanted to harm friendship of Pakistan and China.

 He once again said that Pakistan had bolstered Afghanistan more than its capacity but “we cannot fight the war of Afghanistan in our country.” He said that Pakistan had made sincere efforts for talks and peace in Afghanistan. He said that Pakistan would have no role if the Afghan groups wanted to adopt the path of war there. He said that Pakistan wanted relations with all the countries based on equality and justice and respect.

He reminded India that welfare of millions of people of Pakistan and India is linked with longlasting peace for which it is must to stop targeting innocent people across the Line of Control (LoC).

He said that they were trying to address and resolve every issue with wisdom. He said that Pakistan Army was providing inputs to the institutions concerned, whether it was related to peace in Fata, development of Balochistan or matters with the international community. “The country and nation will get strength if institutions are strong and strength of constitutional, law and democratic traditions is the strength of us all,” he said.

The army chief said, “It is a right of the coming generation that they should get a normal Pakistan which is cleansed of corruption and lawlessness”, saying that youth are real strength of the country.

In the ceremony, special items were presented including documentaries, songs depicting sacrifices of armed forces and their contributions for the defence of the country starting from 1947 and operations against terrorism, development projects in Balochistan and Fata and rich tributes to the recipients of Nishan-e-Haider.