Pakistan not to join coalition forces against 'Islamic State'

WASHINGTON (Web Desk) - While United Nations has given an extraordinary mandate to United States and other allies to take appropriate action against Syria and Iraq based Islamic State group, Pakistan Army spokesman has declined any chances of deploying troops outside South Asian region, reported Dawn.

Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt-General Asim Saleem Bajwa said that Islamic State is a global threat and centred in Middle East, the sympathisers of the group came to Pakistan in a time when nation has already witnessed the evil of extremism. These people have badly been rejected by Pakistani nation, he was quoted in a report.

Bajwa added that we are not looking forward to any engagement outside region as we have already deployed more than 1,82,000 troops on Afghanistan border.

Pakistan will not send its troops to any mission anywhere in the world outside South Asia, he categorically stated when asked whether Pakistan was going to join coalition forces against Islamic State or not.

Responding to a question about American concerns about Pakistani nuclear programme, DG ISPR told newsmen that we have always been very clear at our nuclear programme, it is aimed at countering a certain threat perception.

When asked if the dossiers on Indian involvement that were handed to United States during the visit of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also came under discussion in meetings of Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif with US officials, Asim Bajwa said that this matter was not taken up during the tour.