RAWALPINDI/LONDON – Pakistan wants US forces to stay in Afghanistan until complete peace is achieved in the war-torn country, the military spokesman said yesterday.
Major General Asif Ghafoor, the Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said: “Peace in Afghanistan is imperative for lasting peace in Pakistan and the whole region.”
The ISPR chief, who arrived in United Kingdom last week as part of a military delegation headed by Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, made this statement during his address at the University of Warwick, UK.
The world would not have been able to defeat al-Qaeda without Pakistan’s support, Ghafoor said, adding that the international community must thank Pakistan for the elimination of terrorism.
The general said Pakistan has rendered numerous sacrifices for achieving peace in the region, noting that terror activities had marginally decreased following the Pakistan Army’s operations against terrorists.
He further said the terrorists who were against women’s education had targeted Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai.
Asif Ghafoor told Pakistani students to feel proud of their country for the contributions it has made to the world peace. He asked the students to return to Pakistan after completing their studies and play role in the development of the country.
