Pakistan committed to defence of KSA, Harmain Sharifain: DG ISPR

WEB DESK -- Director General ISPR, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, says Pakistan remains committed to the defence of Saudi Arabia and Harmain Sharifain as per its obligations and relationship with the Kingdom.

In an exclusive interview with the Reuters news agency, he said Pakistan's presence is aimed at ensuring the protection of Saudi Arabia and Harmain Sharifain. He said the conflict in Yemen is an intra-Yemen conflict and Pakistan is not part of this conflict. He said we are interested in peace inside Pakistan and outside the region as well.

Regarding the Iran-US conflict, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said Pakistan is cautiously optimistic regarding mediation between Iran and the United States. He said we are not part of the conflict, but are mediators.

He said Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, having clarity, vision and trust that he enjoys internally and externally, is playing a critical role in making the parties understand that the path of destruction serves no one except to those who have something out of destruction.

He said that if there were no signs of positive progress, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir would not have visited Iran twice.

Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said there are always powerful spoilers and detractors present that seek to sabotage peace efforts. He said the decision to send additional Pakistani troops to Saudi Arabia is contingent upon the circumstances and the decisions made by the political leadership of both nations.

The DG ISPR said there is no bar there for anybody to join the Makkah Defence Alliance. He said the countries which have a shared vision of collective deterrence and regional peace may join the Makkah  Defence Alliance.

He said the decision regarding the inclusion of new countries in the Makkah Joint Defence Alliance rests with the political leadership of three nations.

The DG ISPR said Pakistan has been fighting these sustained counterterrorism operations for the past twenty years. He said our counterterrorism operations are intelligence-based operations.

He further said that rather than large-scale operations, intelligence-based operations for counter-terrorism will be further intensified in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.