Pak Army rules out fighting someone else's war again

RAWALPINDI - Clarifying that no war can be solely won through military strategy, Pakistan Army has asserted that it will not fight some else's war again.

Major General Asif Ghafoor, the head of military's media wing, while briefing media on Wednesday expressed that the average of terror incidents has fallen since 2013 and the number of civilian casualties has also decreased.

On Balochistan, the spokesperson said the province made 43 per cent of the country with only 6 per cent of the population adding that the armed forces have changed deployment according to the geography of the province.

Terrorist incidents in the province had fallen and 18 had taken place in 2018 and in the last three years over 2,000 Ferraris had surrendered in the province which was a good step, he highlighted.

Noone Above The Law: COAS

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa has expressed that no person or institution was above the law. DG ISPR read out the army chief’s message during the interaction.

“We will reconstruct Pakistan brick-by-brick to have a normalised Pakistan… the country will run as per the Constitution,” the army’s spokesperson quoted the COAS as saying.

According to Gen Qamar, the prerogative of violence rests with the state alone.

Karachi Operation

The military spokesman said the law and order situation in Pakistan's southern metropolis had improved in the last few years for which the law enforcers deserve due appreciation.

Branding Karachi as the country's economic engine, the DG ISPR said the situation in the city would further improve.

Raddul Fassad

The military spokesman said 44 major operations had taken place under Radd-ul-Fasaad in the country adding that the armed forces will work with the government on the matter.

Stating that no war can end merely with operations, Major General Bajwa stressed the need for social-economic development, especially in Fata.

Don't Cross the Limits, PTM

Major General Ghafoor said Pashtun Tahafuzz Movement had three demands with the first one regarding checkposts.

"Pakistan Army has decreased its check-posts in KP/FATA with 331. When we believe that there is no need for even one check-post we will remove them," he vowed.

The official continued that the second demand of the PTM was to clear mines, which DG ISPR said was being done.

"Our troops have suffered casualties due to these mines and unexploded bombs. One day we will clear the area from mines," he added.

Major General Asif Ghafoor said the third demand of the PTM was over missing persons.

"Overall cases from 2010-11 were 7,000 with the Supreme Court hearing it on a daily basis. From these 7,000 cases over 4,000 cases had been settled. 3,000 plus cases are under process with 2,000 cases with the commission," he observed.

He stressed that the PTM was treading a path where it might cross the line and the state is forced to use force.

He warned PTM that the state would use its authority if PTM crosses the limits.

Pak-India Ties

The military spokesman said ceasefire violations at the Line of Control (LoC) had increased and India was deliberately targeting civilians.

"The government took the initiative to develop the Kartarpur corridor which was portrayed in a bad light in the Indian media," he added.

Responding to Indian army chief's statement that Pakistan should become secular for talks, DG ISPR said, "They do not need to tell us what kind of a country we should be. Are they [India] secular? Look what is happening to the 200 Muslims there."

Trump's Letter

On US President Donald Trump's letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan, DG ISPR said Pakistan had always said there was a need for a political reconciliation in war-battered Afghanistan.

"Pakistan will take every step to make this reconciliation successful. This political reconciliation must succeed. We hope the US leaves Afghanistan as a friend of the region, not as a failure," he observed.

When asked about Prime Minister Imran Khan’s statement that the Army was standing by PTI’s stance, DG ISPR responded that he had listened to Imran Khan's interview thrice and said it was taken out of context.

“There is no doubt that we will never fight anyone’s war. This war was imposed on us,” DG ISPR responded.

Accountability Within Army

Commenting on the accountability process of the Pakistan Army, DG ISPR said, "We are a disciplined force. There is a chain of command and rules and regulations. There is a branch which is tasked with discipline and accountability."

He continued that despite the measures in place if rules are violated by the militarymen, punishment is handing over.

"In 2017-18 almost 400 Pakistan officers have been given punishments which range from a warning to dismissals and even jail," Major Gen Asif Ghafoor said.

The military spokesman also said officers faced strict punishments than soldiers.