Imran Khan's followers are trolling Pakistan Army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa on Twitter. Top party officials are accusing the army of not being politically neutral. Why is the army not cracking down on Imran Khan? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: Imran Khan's followers troll Pakistan army chief

Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa said on Thursday that it was time for India and Pakistan to "bury the past and move forward" as he asserted that the peace between the two neighbours would help to "unlock" the potential of South and Central Asia.

Addressing a session of the first-ever Islamabad Security Dialogue here, Gen Bajwa also said that the potential for regional peace and development always remained hostage to the disputes and issues between Pakistan and India - the two "nuclear-armed neighbours".

Watch |&nbsp;

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"We feel it is time to bury the past and move forward," he said, adding that the responsibility for a meaningful dialogue rested with India.

India last month said that it desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan in an environment free of terror, hostility and violence. India has said the onus is on Pakistan to create an environment free of terror and hostility.

India has also told Pakistan that "talks and terror" cannot go together and has asked Islamabad to take demonstrable steps against terror groups responsible for launching various attacks on India.

"Our neighbour will have to create a conducive environment, particularly&nbsp;in Kashmir, Gen Bajwa said, adding that any effort to improve ties without addressing the core issue would be vulnerable to external political factors.

"The Kashmir issue is at the heart of this. It is important to understand that without the resolution of the Kashmir dispute through peaceful means, the process will always remain susceptible to derailment to politically motivated bellicosity,"&nbsp;he said.

The army, which has ruled Pakistan for more than half of its 70 plus years of existence, has hitherto wielded considerable power in the matters of security and foreign policy.

Gen Bajwa's remarks came a day after Prime Minister Imran Khan made a similar statement at the same venue.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-pakistan-makes-another-peace-offer-to-india-371523">Watch |</a>

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Prime Minister Khan said on Wednesday India will be benefitted economically by having peace with Pakistan as it will enable New Delhi to directly access the resource-rich Central Asia region through Pakistani territory.

"India will have to take the first step. Unless they do so, we cannot do much," Khan said while delivering the inaugural address at the launch of the two-day dialogue.

Khan said that having a direct route to the Central Asian region will economically benefit India. Central Asia is rich in oil and gas.

Central Asia, in the modern context, generally includes five resource-rich countries -- Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Gen Bajwa also said that peace between Pakistan and India would help to "unlock the potential of South and Central Asia" by ensuring connectivity between East and West Asia.

Though both Prime Minister Khan and Gen Bajwa didn't specify the minimum steps that India should take, many experts in Pakistan believe that some positive measures in Kashmir could ease pressure on the Pakistan government before entering into talks or restoring the normal diplomatic ties.

Gen Bajwa also talked about poverty, which he said was linked with the regional tensions that had hindered the regional connectivity and integration.

"Despite being impoverished, we end up spending a lot of our money on defence, which naturally comes at the expense of human development," he said.

However, he added that Pakistan was resisting the temptation to become part of the arms race or increase defence budget despite rising security challenges.

"This has not been easy, especially when you live in a hostile and unstable neighbourhood. But having said that, let me say that we are ready to improve our environment by resolving all our outstanding issues with our neighbours through dialogue in a dignified and peaceful manner," he said.

India and Pakistan had announced on February 25 that they have agreed to strictly observe all agreements on ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir and other sectors.

Ties between India and Pakistan nose-dived after a terror attack on the Pathankot Air Force base in 2016 by terror groups based in the neighbouring country. Subsequent attacks, including one on the Indian Army camp in Uri, further deteriorated the relationship.

The relationship dipped further after India's warplanes pounded a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist training camp deep inside Pakistan on February 26, 2019 in response to the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed.

The relations deteriorated after India announced withdrawing special powers of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcation of the state into two union territories in August 2019.

Talking about the concept of national security, Gen Bajwa said that it was not just about protecting countries from external and internal threat.

"Today, the leading drivers of change in the world are demography, economy and technology. However, one issue that remains central to this concept is economic security and cooperation,"&nbsp;he said.

He said that since national security involved ensuring human security, national progress and development, it was not solely the function of the armed forces and required a national effort to safeguard a nation.&nbsp;

Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa said on Thursday that it was time for India and Pakistan to "bury the past and move forward" as he asserted that the peace between the two neighbours would help to "unlock" the potential of South and Central Asia.

Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa said on Thursday that it was time for India and Pakistan to "bury the past and move forward" as he asserted that the peace between the two neighbours would help to "unlock" the potential of South and Central Asia. Addressing a session of the first-ever Islamabad Security Dialogue here, Gen Bajwa also said that the potential for regional peace and development always remained hostage to the disputes and issues between Pakistan and India - the two "nuclear-armed neighbours". Watch | "We feel it is time to bury the past and move forward," he said, adding that the responsibility for a meaningful dialogue rested with India. India last month said that it desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan in an environment free of terror, hostility and violence. India has said the onus is on Pakistan to create an environment free of terror and hostility. India has also told Pakistan that "talks and terror" cannot go together and has asked Islamabad to take demonstrable steps against terror groups responsible for launching various attacks on India. "Our neighbour will have to create a conducive environment, particularly in Kashmir, Gen Bajwa said, adding that any effort to improve ties without addressing the core issue would be vulnerable to external political factors. "The Kashmir issue is at the heart of this. It is important to understand that without the resolution of the Kashmir dispute through peaceful means, the process will always remain susceptible to derailment to politically motivated bellicosity," he said. The army, which has ruled Pakistan for more than half of its 70 plus years of existence, has hitherto wielded considerable power in the matters of security and foreign policy. Gen Bajwa's remarks came a day after Prime Minister Imran Khan made a similar statement at the same venue. Watch | Prime Minister Khan said on Wednesday India will be benefitted economically by having peace with Pakistan as it will enable New Delhi to directly access the resource-rich Central Asia region through Pakistani territory. "India will have to take the first step. Unless they do so, we cannot do much," Khan said while delivering the inaugural address at the launch of the two-day dialogue. Khan said that having a direct route to the Central Asian region will economically benefit India. Central Asia is rich in oil and gas. Central Asia, in the modern context, generally includes five resource-rich countries -- Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Gen Bajwa also said that peace between Pakistan and India would help to "unlock the potential of South and Central Asia" by ensuring connectivity between East and West Asia. Though both Prime Minister Khan and Gen Bajwa didn't specify the minimum steps that India should take, many experts in Pakistan believe that some positive measures in Kashmir could ease pressure on the Pakistan government before entering into talks or restoring the normal diplomatic ties. Gen Bajwa also talked about poverty, which he said was linked with the regional tensions that had hindered the regional connectivity and integration. "Despite being impoverished, we end up spending a lot of our money on defence, which naturally comes at the expense of human development," he said. However, he added that Pakistan was resisting the temptation to become part of the arms race or increase defence budget despite rising security challenges. "This has not been easy, especially when you live in a hostile and unstable neighbourhood. But having said that, let me say that we are ready to improve our environment by resolving all our outstanding issues with our neighbours through dialogue in a dignified and peaceful manner," he said. India and Pakistan had announced on February 25 that they have agreed to strictly observe all agreements on ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir and other sectors. Ties between India and Pakistan nose-dived after a terror attack on the Pathankot Air Force base in 2016 by terror groups based in the neighbouring country. Subsequent attacks, including one on the Indian Army camp in Uri, further deteriorated the relationship. The relationship dipped further after India's warplanes pounded a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist training camp deep inside Pakistan on February 26, 2019 in response to the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed. The relations deteriorated after India announced withdrawing special powers of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcation of the state into two union territories in August 2019. Talking about the concept of national security, Gen Bajwa said that it was not just about protecting countries from external and internal threat. "Today, the leading drivers of change in the world are demography, economy and technology. However, one issue that remains central to this concept is economic security and cooperation," he said. He said that since national security involved ensuring human security, national progress and development, it was not solely the function of the armed forces and required a national effort to safeguard a nation.

Pak Army Chief Gen Bajwa says it's time to bury the past and move forward 

After Pakistani military claimed that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader met Army chief, party supremo and former PM Nawaz Sharif on Friday barred anyone from his party to hold any such meetings with military leadership.

"In the future, no member of our party will meet with representatives of the military and relevant agencies at individual, party or personal level," Sharif said in a tweet.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/senior-pml-n-leader-met-army-chief-over-future-of-nawaz-sharif-pakistan-military-329858">Senior PML-N leader met Army chief over future of Nawaz Sharif: Pakistan military</a>Earlier, Pakistan

Earlier, Army's media wing head Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar in an interview said senior PML-N leader and ex-governor of Sindh Mohammad Zubair met Army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bringing-back-sharif-is-pakistan-governments-responsibility-says-islamabad-high-court-329573">Bringing back Sharif is Pakistan government's responsibility, says Islamabad High Court</a>

He said the meetings were held following Zubair's request and the purpose was to discuss the future of Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz.&nbsp;

A few days ago several opposition parties came together to launch an alliance demanding the resignation of PM Imran Khan, which also in a veiled reference criticised nation's military for interfering in politics.&nbsp;

"Our struggle is not against Imran Khan. Today, our struggle is against those who installed Imran Khan and who manipulated elections (of 2018) to bring an inefficient man like him into power and thus destroyed the country," Sharif had said while addressing the opposition's joint press conference.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

After Pakistani military claimed that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader met Army chief, party supremo and former PM Nawaz Sharif on Friday barred anyone from his party to hold any such meetings with military leadership.

After Pakistani military claimed that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader met Army chief, party supremo and former PM Nawaz Sharif on Friday barred anyone from his party to hold any such meetings with military leadership. "In the future, no member of our party will meet with representatives of the military and relevant agencies at individual, party or personal level," Sharif said in a tweet. Also read | Senior PML-N leader met Army chief over future of Nawaz Sharif: Pakistan militaryEarlier, Pakistan Earlier, Army's media wing head Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar in an interview said senior PML-N leader and ex-governor of Sindh Mohammad Zubair met Army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa. Also read | Bringing back Sharif is Pakistan government's responsibility, says Islamabad High Court He said the meetings were held following Zubair's request and the purpose was to discuss the future of Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz. A few days ago several opposition parties came together to launch an alliance demanding the resignation of PM Imran Khan, which also in a veiled reference criticised nation's military for interfering in politics. "Our struggle is not against Imran Khan. Today, our struggle is against those who installed Imran Khan and who manipulated elections (of 2018) to bring an inefficient man like him into power and thus destroyed the country," Sharif had said while addressing the opposition's joint press conference.

Nawaz Sharif bars party members from meeting Pakistan's military leaders

Days after major opposition parties in Pakistan accused the military of meddling into politics, a senior army official claimed on Wednesday that one of the main leaders from Pakistan's main opposition party PML-N held meetings with Army chief over the future of former PM Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz.

Pakistan Army's media wing head Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar said the meetings were requested by senior PML-N leader and former Sindh governor Mohammad Zubair, in an interview to Pakistan-based ARY News.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/political-decisions-should-be-taken-in-parliament-not-army-headquarter-maryam-nawaz-329758">Political decisions should be taken in Parliament, not army headquarter: Maryam Nawaz</a>

He said Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed was also a part of the meetings that were organised in August end and on September 7.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bringing-back-sharif-is-pakistan-governments-responsibility-says-islamabad-high-court-329573">Bringing back Sharif is Pakistan government's responsibility, says Islamabad High Court</a>

"In both the meetings, he (Zubair) talked about Mian Nawaz Sharif sahib and Maryam Nawaz sahiba," said Iftikhar, as quoted by news agency PTI.&nbsp;

He said the ISI chief told the PML-N leader that legal matters will be settled in courts and the political issues in the Parliament and "the army should be not be dragged into these matters".&nbsp;

In July 2018, Sharif, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Muhammad Safdar were convicted in the Avenfield properties case.

The former PM was also jailed for seven years in Al-Azizia case in December 2018 for which he was serving his term before medical emergency caused a bail&nbsp;

He is currenty in London, UK and has not returned back to Pakistan despite government and court orders.&nbsp;

Days after major opposition parties in Pakistan accused the military of meddling into politics, a senior army official claimed on Wednesday that one of the main leaders from Pakistan's main opposition party PML-N held meetings with Army chief over the future of former PM Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz.

Days after major opposition parties in Pakistan accused the military of meddling into politics, a senior army official claimed on Wednesday that one of the main leaders from Pakistan's main opposition party PML-N held meetings with Army chief over the future of former PM Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz. Pakistan Army's media wing head Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar said the meetings were requested by senior PML-N leader and former Sindh governor Mohammad Zubair, in an interview to Pakistan-based ARY News. Also read | Political decisions should be taken in Parliament, not army headquarter: Maryam Nawaz He said Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed was also a part of the meetings that were organised in August end and on September 7. Also read | Bringing back Sharif is Pakistan government's responsibility, says Islamabad High Court "In both the meetings, he (Zubair) talked about Mian Nawaz Sharif sahib and Maryam Nawaz sahiba," said Iftikhar, as quoted by news agency PTI. He said the ISI chief told the PML-N leader that legal matters will be settled in courts and the political issues in the Parliament and "the army should be not be dragged into these matters". In July 2018, Sharif, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Muhammad Safdar were convicted in the Avenfield properties case. The former PM was also jailed for seven years in Al-Azizia case in December 2018 for which he was serving his term before medical emergency caused a bail He is currenty in London, UK and has not returned back to Pakistan despite government and court orders.

Senior PML-N leader met Army chief over future of Nawaz Sharif: Pakistan military

Pakistan's army chief arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday, its embassy in Riyadh said, amid a diplomatic spat that has threatened Riyadh's financial life line to the cash-strapped South Asian nation.

Watch&nbsp;| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/watch-ceiling-of-pakistan-airport-collapses-due-to-heavy-rains-321135">Ceiling of Pakistan airport collapses due to heavy rains</a>

General Qamar Javed Bajwa arrived in Riyadh at 10 a.m. (0700 GMT), the embassy said. A military source said the head of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) General Faiz Hameed is accompanying Bajwa.

Pakistan's army chief arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday, its embassy in Riyadh said, amid a diplomatic spat that has threatened Riyadh's financial life line to the cash-strapped South Asian nation.

Pakistan's army chief arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday, its embassy in Riyadh said, amid a diplomatic spat that has threatened Riyadh's financial life line to the cash-strapped South Asian nation. Watch | Ceiling of Pakistan airport collapses due to heavy rains General Qamar Javed Bajwa arrived in Riyadh at 10 a.m. (0700 GMT), the embassy said. A military source said the head of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) General Faiz Hameed is accompanying Bajwa.

Pakistan army chief arrives in Saudi Arabia to revive strained ties

With an aim to to calm diplomatic strains over Kashmir issue Pakistan’s army chief will visit Saudi Arabia this weekend.

Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi's remarks against the Organisation of Islamic Conference led by Saudi Arabia for its inaction on the Kashmir issue has strained the relations between the two countries.&nbsp;

Qureshi had postponed his press conference on Tuesday for the second time as Saudi has reacted strongly against his statements. Pakistan's foreign minister is said to have called the press conference to explain his statements to defuse tensions between the country. However, it seems like Pakistan plans to do more than just a press conference.&nbsp;

The two countries are traditionally close and Saudi Arabia in 2018 gave Pakistan a $3 billion loan and $3.2 billion oil credit facility to help its balance of payments crisis.

But Riyadh is irked by criticism from Pakistan that Saudi Arabia has been lukewarm on the Kashmir territorial dispute, two senior military officials told Reuters, motivating General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s planned fence-building visit on Sunday.

“Yes he is travelling,” Pakistan army spokesman Major General Babar Iftikhar told Reuters, though the official line was that the visit was pre-planned and “primarily military affairs oriented.”

India and Pakistan have fought three wars over the divided Himalayan region of Kashmir, which both claim in full.

Pakistan has long pressed the Saudi-led Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) to convene a high-level meeting to highlight alleged Indian violations in the part it controls.

But the OIC has only held low-level meetings so far.

“If you cannot convene it, then I’ll be compelled to ask Prime Minister Imran Khan to call a meeting of the Islamic countries that are ready to stand with us on the issue of Kashmir and support the oppressed Kashmiris,” Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told local media last week.

(With inputs from Reuters)

With an aim to to calm diplomatic strains over Kashmir issue Pakistan’s army chief will visit Saudi Arabia this weekend. Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi's remarks against the Organisation of Islamic Conference led by Saudi Arabia for its inaction on the Kashmir issue has strained the relations between the two countries.

With an aim to to calm diplomatic strains over Kashmir issue Pakistan’s army chief will visit Saudi Arabia this weekend. Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi's remarks against the Organisation of Islamic Conference led by Saudi Arabia for its inaction on the Kashmir issue has strained the relations between the two countries. Qureshi had postponed his press conference on Tuesday for the second time as Saudi has reacted strongly against his statements. Pakistan's foreign minister is said to have called the press conference to explain his statements to defuse tensions between the country. However, it seems like Pakistan plans to do more than just a press conference. The two countries are traditionally close and Saudi Arabia in 2018 gave Pakistan a $3 billion loan and $3.2 billion oil credit facility to help its balance of payments crisis. But Riyadh is irked by criticism from Pakistan that Saudi Arabia has been lukewarm on the Kashmir territorial dispute, two senior military officials told Reuters, motivating General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s planned fence-building visit on Sunday. “Yes he is travelling,” Pakistan army spokesman Major General Babar Iftikhar told Reuters, though the official line was that the visit was pre-planned and “primarily military affairs oriented.” India and Pakistan have fought three wars over the divided Himalayan region of Kashmir, which both claim in full. Pakistan has long pressed the Saudi-led Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) to convene a high-level meeting to highlight alleged Indian violations in the part it controls. But the OIC has only held low-level meetings so far. “If you cannot convene it, then I’ll be compelled to ask Prime Minister Imran Khan to call a meeting of the Islamic countries that are ready to stand with us on the issue of Kashmir and support the oppressed Kashmiris,” Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told local media last week. (With inputs from Reuters)

Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa to visit Saudi Arabia in quest to smooth ties

The Balakot airstrike and the abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution to bifurcate Jammu and Kashmir are the two significant events that will have a "lasting imprint" on the geopolitical situation of South Asia, according to Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

In an article in the 'Green Book 2020', a research journal of the Pakistan Army which is recognised by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan and published biennially, General Bajwa also describes Kashmir as a “nuclear flashpoint”.

General Bajwa being the Patron-in-Chief of the journal expressed his view in a “Note” at the first page of the publication.

"Year 2019 witnessed two significant events which will have lasting imprint on the geopolitics of this region; first, the unwarranted Balakot Strike by Indian Air Force on 26th February and second, the unilateral annexation of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, through abrogation of Article 370 and 35A, "the Pakistan Army chief said.

"Former was a coercive attempt to carve out space for war under nuclear overhang and enforce compellence; adroitly denied by Pakistan Air Force the very next day, through a calibrated and proportionate response – Indian craving for establishing a New Normal was stymied comprehensively.

"The latter, despite condemnation by the World at large, continues to haunt the lives of over eight million Muslims" of Kashmir..." he wrote.

General Bajwa goes on to say: “Kashmir is a nuclear flashpoint and in total disregard to international norms, Mr (Narendra) Modi has not only endangered the immediate neighbourhood, but has also raised the ante for the entire World.”

The powerful army, which has ruled Pakistan for more than half of its 70 plus years of existence, has hitherto wielded considerable power in the matters of security and foreign policy.

Pakistan and India were almost on the brink of a war following the Pulwama attack in Jammu and Kashmir in February 2019 that killed dozens of CRPF soldiers and prompted India to carry out air strikes on terror camps in Balakot city in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The strained ties between India and Pakistan further nose-dived following the abrogation of Article 370 in August to withdraw the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. The move angered Pakistan, which downgraded diplomatic ties with India and expelled the Indian High Commissioner stationed in Islamabad.

India has categorically told the international community that the scrapping of Article 370 was its internal matter. It also advised Pakistan to accept the reality and stop all anti-India propaganda.

In the 'Green Book 2020' editorial, Editor-in-Chief Lt Gen Sher Afgan made a case for the changing global order due to the impact of the latest technologies and revolutions in the military and strategic thoughts.

"New players like China &amp; Russia are pushing the US led International Liberal Order towards an era of more multipolar power centres. Regionalism is gaining currency, Populism sentiment is high and traditional power centres are grappling to remain atop,” he wrote.

He said that South Asia, due to its strategic location and role in world politics, is also under a great impact of this rapid transformation in the geo-politics and geo-economics and Pakistan armed forces had superbly tackled through cross-domain responses.

Former diplomat Shamshad Ahmad Khan in his article, 'India-Pakistan Relations: In Perspective', wrote that Pakistan has been living with a lingering suspicion that India had never reconciled to the subcontinent's partition and facing India’s hostility and belligerence.

He said that as one of the oldest unresolved international conflicts, Kashmir is today "a nuclear flashpoint."

There are other articles in the 'Green Book 2020' about the regional and global situation. However, disclaimer by the publisher reads that the view by authors do not imply the official policy of the Pakistan Army as an institution.

The Balakot airstrike and the abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution to bifurcate Jammu and Kashmir are the two significant events that will have a "lasting imprint" on the geopolitical situation of South Asia, according to Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

The Balakot airstrike and the abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution to bifurcate Jammu and Kashmir are the two significant events that will have a "lasting imprint" on the geopolitical situation of South Asia, according to Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa. In an article in the 'Green Book 2020', a research journal of the Pakistan Army which is recognised by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan and published biennially, General Bajwa also describes Kashmir as a “nuclear flashpoint”. General Bajwa being the Patron-in-Chief of the journal expressed his view in a “Note” at the first page of the publication. "Year 2019 witnessed two significant events which will have lasting imprint on the geopolitics of this region; first, the unwarranted Balakot Strike by Indian Air Force on 26th February and second, the unilateral annexation of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, through abrogation of Article 370 and 35A, "the Pakistan Army chief said. "Former was a coercive attempt to carve out space for war under nuclear overhang and enforce compellence; adroitly denied by Pakistan Air Force the very next day, through a calibrated and proportionate response – Indian craving for establishing a New Normal was stymied comprehensively. "The latter, despite condemnation by the World at large, continues to haunt the lives of over eight million Muslims" of Kashmir..." he wrote. General Bajwa goes on to say: “Kashmir is a nuclear flashpoint and in total disregard to international norms, Mr (Narendra) Modi has not only endangered the immediate neighbourhood, but has also raised the ante for the entire World.” The powerful army, which has ruled Pakistan for more than half of its 70 plus years of existence, has hitherto wielded considerable power in the matters of security and foreign policy. Pakistan and India were almost on the brink of a war following the Pulwama attack in Jammu and Kashmir in February 2019 that killed dozens of CRPF soldiers and prompted India to carry out air strikes on terror camps in Balakot city in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The strained ties between India and Pakistan further nose-dived following the abrogation of Article 370 in August to withdraw the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. The move angered Pakistan, which downgraded diplomatic ties with India and expelled the Indian High Commissioner stationed in Islamabad. India has categorically told the international community that the scrapping of Article 370 was its internal matter. It also advised Pakistan to accept the reality and stop all anti-India propaganda. In the 'Green Book 2020' editorial, Editor-in-Chief Lt Gen Sher Afgan made a case for the changing global order due to the impact of the latest technologies and revolutions in the military and strategic thoughts. "New players like China & Russia are pushing the US led International Liberal Order towards an era of more multipolar power centres. Regionalism is gaining currency, Populism sentiment is high and traditional power centres are grappling to remain atop,” he wrote. He said that South Asia, due to its strategic location and role in world politics, is also under a great impact of this rapid transformation in the geo-politics and geo-economics and Pakistan armed forces had superbly tackled through cross-domain responses. Former diplomat Shamshad Ahmad Khan in his article, 'India-Pakistan Relations: In Perspective', wrote that Pakistan has been living with a lingering suspicion that India had never reconciled to the subcontinent's partition and facing India’s hostility and belligerence. He said that as one of the oldest unresolved international conflicts, Kashmir is today "a nuclear flashpoint." There are other articles in the 'Green Book 2020' about the regional and global situation. However, disclaimer by the publisher reads that the view by authors do not imply the official policy of the Pakistan Army as an institution.

'Kashmir a nuclear flashpoint': Pakistan army chief says India has endangered immediate neighbourhood

Pakistan's parliament on Tuesday passed laws limiting the maximum age and tenure of the country's army chief, a significant move in a country which has been ruled by the powerful military for nearly half its existence.

The legislation came after the supreme court last year challenged Prime Minister Imran Khan's decision to extend the appointment of army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, 59, by a further three years.&nbsp;

Pakistan has been ruled by the military for roughly half its 72-year history, and the army is seen as the most powerful institution in the country.&nbsp;

The term for a military chief is supposed to be three years, but Bajwa was the latest in a long line of generals to see their tenure extended.

The legislation passed in Pakistan's lower house Tuesday also sets a maximum age of 64 for the chiefs of the army, air force and navy.

The bill now goes to the senate, where it is expected to pass before being signed into law by the president.

Bajwa was appointed to lead the military in 2016, taking over from the popular General Raheel Sharif.

Since taking power, however, Bajwa and the military have been criticised for cracking down on civil society and have been accused of orchestrating Khan's victory in the 2018 elections.

There have been nine army chiefs since Pakistan's independence in 1947 following partition with India. &nbsp;

Pakistan's parliament on Tuesday passed laws limiting the maximum age and tenure of the country's army chief, a significant move in a country which has been ruled by the powerful military for nearly half its existence.

Pakistan's parliament on Tuesday passed laws limiting the maximum age and tenure of the country's army chief, a significant move in a country which has been ruled by the powerful military for nearly half its existence. The legislation came after the supreme court last year challenged Prime Minister Imran Khan's decision to extend the appointment of army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, 59, by a further three years. Pakistan has been ruled by the military for roughly half its 72-year history, and the army is seen as the most powerful institution in the country. The term for a military chief is supposed to be three years, but Bajwa was the latest in a long line of generals to see their tenure extended. The legislation passed in Pakistan's lower house Tuesday also sets a maximum age of 64 for the chiefs of the army, air force and navy. The bill now goes to the senate, where it is expected to pass before being signed into law by the president. Bajwa was appointed to lead the military in 2016, taking over from the popular General Raheel Sharif. Since taking power, however, Bajwa and the military have been criticised for cracking down on civil society and have been accused of orchestrating Khan's victory in the 2018 elections. There have been nine army chiefs since Pakistan's independence in 1947 following partition with India.

Pakistan parliament passes law limiting age, tenure of army chief

Pakistan Army Chief Javed Bajwa's tenure has been extended till May 2020. Watch video to know more.

Pakistan: Bajwa's tenure extended till May 2020

Pakistan Army chief Gen Bajwa term extended for another three years. Watch this video to know more.

Pak Army chief Gen Bajwa term extended for another 3 years

Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa's tenure has been extended for another three years, Prime Minister Imran Khan said in a statement.

Bajwa's tenure was to end on November 28. According to reports, the extension was decided after taking into "view the regional security environment".

Bajwa has held the post since November 29, 2016, and was appointed by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

The extension of Bajwa's tenure comes amid the escalating tension between India and Pakistan over the Indian government's decision to scrap special status for the erstwhile states of Jammu and Kashmir by abrogating Article 370 which was passed by the Indian Parliament.

Watch: Has Imran Khan delivered 'Naya Pakistan'?

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The chief of Army staff post is a military appointment and is held by a four-star rank general in the Pakistan Army.&nbsp;He is appointed by the Prime Minister of Pakistan and final confirmation is done by the President of Pakistan.

Prior to his appointment as Chief of Army Staff, Bajwa has served as the Inspector General of the Training and Evaluation at the Army General headquarter. He has also served as field commander of X Corps from August 2013 to September 2015.

In 2007 Bajwa also served as a Brigadier in the United Nations mission in Congo and as a brigade commander.

Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa's tenure has been extended for another three years, Prime Minister Imran Khan said in a statement. Bajwa's tenure was to end on November 28.

Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa's tenure has been extended for another three years, Prime Minister Imran Khan said in a statement. Bajwa's tenure was to end on November 28. According to reports, the extension was decided after taking into "view the regional security environment". Bajwa has held the post since November 29, 2016, and was appointed by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The extension of Bajwa's tenure comes amid the escalating tension between India and Pakistan over the Indian government's decision to scrap special status for the erstwhile states of Jammu and Kashmir by abrogating Article 370 which was passed by the Indian Parliament. Watch: Has Imran Khan delivered 'Naya Pakistan'? × The chief of Army staff post is a military appointment and is held by a four-star rank general in the Pakistan Army. He is appointed by the Prime Minister of Pakistan and final confirmation is done by the President of Pakistan. Prior to his appointment as Chief of Army Staff, Bajwa has served as the Inspector General of the Training and Evaluation at the Army General headquarter. He has also served as field commander of X Corps from August 2013 to September 2015. In 2007 Bajwa also served as a Brigadier in the United Nations mission in Congo and as a brigade commander.

Pakistan: Qamar Javed Bajwa's term as Army Chief extended for another 3 years

Several officials have been killed after Houthi launch attack on Aden military in Yemen. Watch full video to know more.

Several killed in Houthi attack on Aden military parade in Yemen

Pakistan's win over South Africa at the World Cup on Sunday may be a relief but the presence of two spectators, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, chief of the Pakistan Army, and Major General Asif Ghafoor, the military's senior-most spokesperson has attracted all the wrong attention.

Pakistan Army Chief Trolled Over Match

Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa Sunday confirmed the death sentence of 15 "hardcore terrorists", who were involved in killing civilians and abetting 2016 Christian Colony suicide attacks in Peshawar.

General Bajwa "confirmed the death sentence awarded to 15 hardcore terrorists, who were involved in heinous offences related to terrorism," said a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the army.&nbsp;

The terrorists were convicted for attacking the armed forces/law enforcement agencies, abetting suicide bombers in an attack on Christian Colony near Peshawar, destruction of educational institutions and killing of innocent civilians, it said.

In September 2016, four suicide bombers attacked the Christian Colony in Peshawar. Security forces promptly responded and killed all the attackers. The Christian colony is situated outside the military cantonment.

The Jamaat-ur Ahrar, a Taliban faction, claimed responsibility for the attack.

Ibrar, a member of a banned organisation, "abetted suicidal bombers in attacking Christian Colony near Peshawar by planning the said attack and providing weapons/suicidal jackets/transportation to suicide bombers," the statement said.

The convict confessed his offences and he was awarded death sentence.

The convicts were tried by special military courts and confessed to their crimes before the judicial magistrate during their respective trials, ISPR said.&nbsp;

It said the terror activities by the convicts had resulted into the death of 34 people, including from the armed forces.&nbsp;

Arms and explosives were also recovered from their possession, the statement said.

Apart from the death sentence, 20 convicts were awarded imprisonment.&nbsp;

Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa Sunday confirmed the death sentence of 15 "hardcore terrorists", who were involved in killing civilians and abetting 2016 Christian Colony suicide attacks in Peshawar.

Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa Sunday confirmed the death sentence of 15 "hardcore terrorists", who were involved in killing civilians and abetting 2016 Christian Colony suicide attacks in Peshawar. General Bajwa "confirmed the death sentence awarded to 15 hardcore terrorists, who were involved in heinous offences related to terrorism," said a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the army. The terrorists were convicted for attacking the armed forces/law enforcement agencies, abetting suicide bombers in an attack on Christian Colony near Peshawar, destruction of educational institutions and killing of innocent civilians, it said. In September 2016, four suicide bombers attacked the Christian Colony in Peshawar. Security forces promptly responded and killed all the attackers. The Christian colony is situated outside the military cantonment. The Jamaat-ur Ahrar, a Taliban faction, claimed responsibility for the attack. Ibrar, a member of a banned organisation, "abetted suicidal bombers in attacking Christian Colony near Peshawar by planning the said attack and providing weapons/suicidal jackets/transportation to suicide bombers," the statement said. The convict confessed his offences and he was awarded death sentence. The convicts were tried by special military courts and confessed to their crimes before the judicial magistrate during their respective trials, ISPR said. It said the terror activities by the convicts had resulted into the death of 34 people, including from the armed forces. Arms and explosives were also recovered from their possession, the statement said. Apart from the death sentence, 20 convicts were awarded imprisonment.

Pakistan Army chief confirms death sentence of 15 'hardcore terrorists'

The peaceful resolution of India-Pakistan disputes, including the core issue of Kashmir, can be found through comprehensive and meaningful dialogue, Pakistan's Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa has said.

Bajwa's remarks came during his speech at the passing-out parade of cadets at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul yesterday, according to a statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the country's armed forces.

"It is our sincere belief that the route to peaceful resolution of Pak-India disputes -- including the core issue of Kashmir -- runs through comprehensive and meaningful dialogue.

"While such dialogue is no favour to any party, it remains the inevitable precursor to peace across the region. Pakistan remains committed to such a dialogue, but only on the basis of sovereign equality, dignity and honour," he said.

Addressing the cadets, Bajwa, 57, said Pakistan is a peace loving country and seeks harmonious and peaceful co- existence with all countries, especially its neighbours, according to the statement.

"However, this desire for peace must not, in any sense, be construed as a sign of weakness. Our valiant Armed Forces are fully prepared to respond across the full spectrum of threat in a befitting manner," he added.

The Army chief also reaffirmed his country's "political and moral support" to the "basic right of self-determination" for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

He said Pakistan has done its part to cleanse itself of the scourge of terrorism and extremism without any distinction and the efforts have started to bear results.

"We are committed to continue these efforts, not out of any compulsion, but to make Pakistan a safe, prosperous and progressive country," he said.

Bajwa also said that a "hybrid war" had been imposed on Pakistan to internally weaken it.

"Our enemies know, that they cannot beat us fair and square and have thus subjected us to a cruel, evil and protracted hybrid war," he said, without taking any names.

Stressing that Pakistan has totally rejected extremism and terrorism, he said, "I would like to reiterate here that the nation and its Armed Forces are totally united and focused towards our primary objective, that is, eradication and elimination of terrorism."&nbsp;

'Pakistan remains committed to such a dialogue, but only on the basis of sovereign equality, dignity and honour,' Qamar Bajwa said

The peaceful resolution of India-Pakistan disputes, including the core issue of Kashmir, can be found through comprehensive and meaningful dialogue, Pakistan's Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa has said. Bajwa's remarks came during his speech at the passing-out parade of cadets at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul yesterday, according to a statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the country's armed forces. "It is our sincere belief that the route to peaceful resolution of Pak-India disputes -- including the core issue of Kashmir -- runs through comprehensive and meaningful dialogue. "While such dialogue is no favour to any party, it remains the inevitable precursor to peace across the region. Pakistan remains committed to such a dialogue, but only on the basis of sovereign equality, dignity and honour," he said. Addressing the cadets, Bajwa, 57, said Pakistan is a peace loving country and seeks harmonious and peaceful co- existence with all countries, especially its neighbours, according to the statement. "However, this desire for peace must not, in any sense, be construed as a sign of weakness. Our valiant Armed Forces are fully prepared to respond across the full spectrum of threat in a befitting manner," he added. The Army chief also reaffirmed his country's "political and moral support" to the "basic right of self-determination" for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He said Pakistan has done its part to cleanse itself of the scourge of terrorism and extremism without any distinction and the efforts have started to bear results. "We are committed to continue these efforts, not out of any compulsion, but to make Pakistan a safe, prosperous and progressive country," he said. Bajwa also said that a "hybrid war" had been imposed on Pakistan to internally weaken it. "Our enemies know, that they cannot beat us fair and square and have thus subjected us to a cruel, evil and protracted hybrid war," he said, without taking any names. Stressing that Pakistan has totally rejected extremism and terrorism, he said, "I would like to reiterate here that the nation and its Armed Forces are totally united and focused towards our primary objective, that is, eradication and elimination of terrorism."

Peaceful resolution of India-Pakistan disputes, including Kashmir, will come through dialogue: Pak Army chief

In what can be dubbed as the first move, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has openly come to the fore and has backed the Pakistan Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, calling him "professional" and "straightforward".

"The civilian and military authorities must work together to counter the challenges facing Pakistan," the Dawn reported, citing Shahbaz as saying to journalists at the Kidney and Liver Transplant Institute.

"We must respect and honour the efforts the army chief is making (to safeguard national interests)," he added.

The PML-N chief said that, in a meeting he had had with the chief of the army staff, he found him professional and straightforward.

He also dwelled upon the sacrifices made by the armed forces to ensure the country's defence and to eliminate terrorism and fanaticism, appealing people to appreciate their efforts, according to the report.

The remarks seemingly are not in sync with his party's as even as many in his party blame the military establishment for the current political crisis facing the Sharifs.

'The civilian and military authorities must work together to counter the challenges facing Pakistan,' the Dawn reported citing Shahbaz

In what can be dubbed as the first move, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has openly come to the fore and has backed the Pakistan Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, calling him "professional" and "straightforward". "The civilian and military authorities must work together to counter the challenges facing Pakistan," the Dawn reported, citing Shahbaz as saying to journalists at the Kidney and Liver Transplant Institute. "We must respect and honour the efforts the army chief is making (to safeguard national interests)," he added. The PML-N chief said that, in a meeting he had had with the chief of the army staff, he found him professional and straightforward. He also dwelled upon the sacrifices made by the armed forces to ensure the country's defence and to eliminate terrorism and fanaticism, appealing people to appreciate their efforts, according to the report. The remarks seemingly are not in sync with his party's as even as many in his party blame the military establishment for the current political crisis facing the Sharifs.

Shahbaz Sharif heaps praises on Pakistan Army chief

India stands vindicated.

Speaking at the Munich Security Conference held from February 16 to 18, Pakistan&#39;s Army Chief, General Qamar Bajwa confirmed just what New Delhi has been pointing to all along&nbsp;that Pakistan trains, sponsors, arms and deploys terrorists against any country that qualifies as a - &quot;tyrant&#39;&#39; in its own rule-book. &nbsp;

The General began his speech with a disarming admission: that he was a military man and not a glib-tongued politician. But perhaps the blunt and direct army general could have done with a better speech-writer, for his own attempt to explain &#39;&#39;jihad&quot; - a mysterious concept to the most intrepid scholars of the Qu&#39;ran - had the audience gaping and viewers in India chortling.

General Bajwa tried to explain as far as Pakistan&#39;s government, its armed forces and its Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) are concerned, there are two kinds of terrorists, good and bad. He painted his own country as the victim of the &#39;bad&#39;variety: terrrorism emanating from Afghanistan on its western border. &nbsp;He didn&#39;t name India but through his speech, General Bajwa made it amply clear that Islamabad supports the &quot;good&#39;&#39; variety of terrorism if it is against any country it considers oppressive.

&quot;Let me say at the outset that &#39;jehadism&#39; is a misnomer,&quot; the General declared. &quot;Jihad is a highly evolved concept that underlines myriad struggles against tyranny of all types. Muslims are taught that self-control is the most elevated form of jihad.&quot;&nbsp;

The General even invoked the Holy Prophet in his attempt to explain one of the most intriguing aspects of the holy book of Islam: &nbsp;&quot;There is also a saying by the holy Prophet - peace be upon him - that the best jihad is the word of truth in the face of a tyrant ruler.&quot;

Warming up to his subject, General Bajwa moved on to armed terrorism and ended up - inadvertently or not - justified its use by the &#39;state&#39;.

&quot;On the other hand, qataal &nbsp;(conflict in Arabic), an aspect of armed jihad, comes at the lowest end of the spectrum of actions and beliefs that comprise the concept of jihad, that can only be sanctioned by a state authority and nobody else.&quot;&nbsp;

Through his speech, General Bajwa effectively put the stamp of official approval on the deaths of hundreds&nbsp;of innocent civilians and armymen in India. Pakistani terror groups Lashkar-e-Tayyaba and Jaish-e-Mohammed both target India. &nbsp;They were behind the attacks on India&rsquo;s parliament and the 26/11 carnage in Mumbai in 2001 and 2008 respectively and - for dozens of strikes on both India&rsquo;s armed forces and civilians for decades.

General Bajwa practically admitted that his army, the ISI and the government of Pakistan have supported, armed, trained and sneaked terrorists into India and &ndash; continue to do so. When any Pakistani talks of a country it considers &quot;tyrannical&rsquo;&rsquo;,&nbsp;guessing its identity is a no-brainer.

There were some candid moments in the speech too: the admission that the Afghan jehadi was Pakistan&rsquo;s own doing too. &nbsp;The General admits that jihad was fed to the minds in an exercise undertaken primarily by the West and &ndash; that Pakistan was an accomplice.

&ldquo;This phenomenon (terrorism) is not a recent creation or (something that) started after 9/11,&rsquo;&rsquo; the General mused. &ldquo;The Frankenstein was actually created by the free world with willing but myopic cooperation on our side, after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979.&rdquo;

The Army Chief&rsquo;s regret at creating a monster in the laboratory of death may be genuine. But he was still bent on emphasizing that there is a difference &ndash; between terrorism and jihad. &nbsp;&ldquo;Large numbers of people are radicalized, armed and empowered politically and ideologically. They cannot be wished away just because we don&rsquo;t like them anymore.&rdquo;

He also prepared the ground by warning the world that it was not going to see the end of terrorism on Pakistani soil just yet.

&nbsp;&ldquo;Please note, we are harvesting what we sowed 40 years back. So, it will be a while before this scourge is eliminated from our territory. But first, let us stop calling it jihadism as it is nothing but terrorism.&rdquo;

The most startling admission came towards the end of General Bajwa&rsquo;s brief speech, when he described his country&rsquo;s &ldquo;National Action Plan&rdquo; to fight terrorism.

&nbsp;&ldquo;Most recently, 1854 eminent Pakistani religious scholars representing all schools of thought within Islam teamed up to issue a resounding &lsquo;fatwa&rsquo; against violence, extremism and terrorism in the name of religion,&rdquo; he disclosed.

But after outlining what the plan contains, he said the initiative is referred to in a special way. And what is that?

&ldquo;Called the &quot;key message of Pakistan&rsquo;&rsquo;, it (the plan) bans suicide bombing and jihad &nbsp;- other than the one sanctioned by the state,&rdquo; General Bajwa said.

There you have it. &nbsp;In the corollary, the Chief of Pakistan&rsquo;s army admits that his state, his army and his ISI do sanction terrorism - including sending young, drugged men wearing explosives to their deaths as fidayeen, or suicide bombers. &nbsp;

There can hardly be more damning evidence than General Bajwa&rsquo;s speech at the Munich Conference. Of the fact that when it comes to terrorism to suit its own goals and purposes, the &#39;state&#39;of Pakistan condones and &lsquo;sanctions&rsquo; killing &ndash; including and especially in India.

Pakistan Army chief General Bajwa said jihad is the "truth"

India stands vindicated. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference held from February 16 to 18, Pakistan's Army Chief, General Qamar Bajwa confirmed just what New Delhi has been pointing to all along that Pakistan trains, sponsors, arms and deploys terrorists against any country that qualifies as a - "tyrant'' in its own rule-book. The General began his speech with a disarming admission: that he was a military man and not a glib-tongued politician. But perhaps the blunt and direct army general could have done with a better speech-writer, for his own attempt to explain ''jihad" - a mysterious concept to the most intrepid scholars of the Qu'ran - had the audience gaping and viewers in India chortling. General Bajwa tried to explain as far as Pakistan's government, its armed forces and its Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) are concerned, there are two kinds of terrorists, good and bad. He painted his own country as the victim of the 'bad'variety: terrrorism emanating from Afghanistan on its western border. He didn't name India but through his speech, General Bajwa made it amply clear that Islamabad supports the "good'' variety of terrorism if it is against any country it considers oppressive. "Let me say at the outset that 'jehadism' is a misnomer," the General declared. "Jihad is a highly evolved concept that underlines myriad struggles against tyranny of all types. Muslims are taught that self-control is the most elevated form of jihad." The General even invoked the Holy Prophet in his attempt to explain one of the most intriguing aspects of the holy book of Islam: "There is also a saying by the holy Prophet - peace be upon him - that the best jihad is the word of truth in the face of a tyrant ruler." Warming up to his subject, General Bajwa moved on to armed terrorism and ended up - inadvertently or not - justified its use by the 'state'. "On the other hand, qataal (conflict in Arabic), an aspect of armed jihad, comes at the lowest end of the spectrum of actions and beliefs that comprise the concept of jihad, that can only be sanctioned by a state authority and nobody else." Through his speech, General Bajwa effectively put the stamp of official approval on the deaths of hundreds of innocent civilians and armymen in India. Pakistani terror groups Lashkar-e-Tayyaba and Jaish-e-Mohammed both target India. They were behind the attacks on India’s parliament and the 26/11 carnage in Mumbai in 2001 and 2008 respectively and - for dozens of strikes on both India’s armed forces and civilians for decades. General Bajwa practically admitted that his army, the ISI and the government of Pakistan have supported, armed, trained and sneaked terrorists into India and – continue to do so. When any Pakistani talks of a country it considers "tyrannical’’, guessing its identity is a no-brainer. There were some candid moments in the speech too: the admission that the Afghan jehadi was Pakistan’s own doing too. The General admits that jihad was fed to the minds in an exercise undertaken primarily by the West and – that Pakistan was an accomplice. “This phenomenon (terrorism) is not a recent creation or (something that) started after 9/11,’’ the General mused. “The Frankenstein was actually created by the free world with willing but myopic cooperation on our side, after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979.” The Army Chief’s regret at creating a monster in the laboratory of death may be genuine. But he was still bent on emphasizing that there is a difference – between terrorism and jihad. “Large numbers of people are radicalized, armed and empowered politically and ideologically. They cannot be wished away just because we don’t like them anymore.” He also prepared the ground by warning the world that it was not going to see the end of terrorism on Pakistani soil just yet. “Please note, we are harvesting what we sowed 40 years back. So, it will be a while before this scourge is eliminated from our territory. But first, let us stop calling it jihadism as it is nothing but terrorism.” The most startling admission came towards the end of General Bajwa’s brief speech, when he described his country’s “National Action Plan” to fight terrorism. “Most recently, 1854 eminent Pakistani religious scholars representing all schools of thought within Islam teamed up to issue a resounding ‘fatwa’ against violence, extremism and terrorism in the name of religion,” he disclosed. But after outlining what the plan contains, he said the initiative is referred to in a special way. And what is that? “Called the "key message of Pakistan’’, it (the plan) bans suicide bombing and jihad - other than the one sanctioned by the state,” General Bajwa said. There you have it. In the corollary, the Chief of Pakistan’s army admits that his state, his army and his ISI do sanction terrorism - including sending young, drugged men wearing explosives to their deaths as fidayeen, or suicide bombers. There can hardly be more damning evidence than General Bajwa’s speech at the Munich Conference. Of the fact that when it comes to terrorism to suit its own goals and purposes, the 'state'of Pakistan condones and ‘sanctions’ killing – including and especially in India.

There are two kinds of terrorists, good and bad, says Pakistan Army chief Bajwa at Munich conference

Pakistan&rsquo;s army chief told a top US general the nation &ldquo;felt betrayed&rdquo; at criticism that it was not doing enough to fight terrorism, the military said on Friday, after US President Donald Trump accused Pakistan of &ldquo;lies and deceit&rdquo;.

US Central Command chief General Joseph Votel told General Qamar Javed Bajwa during a telephone call this week that the United States was not contemplating any unilateral action inside Pakistan, the Pakistani army said in a statement.

Tension between the United States and Pakistan has grown over US complaints that the Afghan Taliban and Haqqani network that target American troops in Afghanistan are allowed to take shelter on Pakistani soil.

Trump&rsquo;s administration last week announced the suspension of about $2 billion in security aid to nuclear-armed Pakistan - officially a US ally - over accusations Islamabad is playing a double game in Afghanistan.

Islamabad denies this and accuses the United States of disrespecting its vast sacrifices - casualties have numbered in the tens of thousands - in fighting terrorism.

The US aid suspension was announced days after Trump tweeted on Jan. 1 that the United States had foolishly given Pakistan $33 billion in aid over 15 years and was rewarded with &ldquo;nothing but lies &amp; deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools&rdquo;.

It is not clear what prompted Trump&rsquo;s tweet, which infuriated Pakistani officials and caught the rest of the US administration off guard.

The Pakistani statement on Friday did not directly refer to Trump&rsquo;s tweet.

&ldquo;(Bajwa) said that entire Pakistani nation felt betrayed over US recent statements despite decades of cooperation,&rdquo; the army said, referring to the phone call between Bajwa and Votel.

The Pakistani assertion that Votel said no unilateral action inside Pakistan was being considered may have referred to the possibility of cross-border US drone strikes and other military missions targeting Taliban and other militant figures outside the border area.

In 2016, a US drone killed the then-leader of the Taliban, Mullah Akhtar Mansour, in the southwestern province of Baluchistan, prompting protests from Islamabad of a violation of sovereignty.

And in 2011, a secret American raid in the military garrison city of Abbottabad killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, the architect of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on American cities that prompted the US-led invasion to topple the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Since Trump took office, there have been several drone strikes in Pakistan&rsquo;s border region but they have not so far gone deeper into Pakistani territory, though Islamabad believes that is on a menu of punitive actions the US administration is considering.

However, the US military is also concerned that the Pakistani army, which effectively runs foreign policy, might close the air and land corridors on which US-led troops and Afghan forces in landlocked Afghanistan depend for supplies. So far, Pakistan has not done so.

Islamabad accuses the United States of disrespecting its vast sacrifices

Pakistan’s army chief told a top US general the nation “felt betrayed” at criticism that it was not doing enough to fight terrorism, the military said on Friday, after US President Donald Trump accused Pakistan of “lies and deceit”. US Central Command chief General Joseph Votel told General Qamar Javed Bajwa during a telephone call this week that the United States was not contemplating any unilateral action inside Pakistan, the Pakistani army said in a statement. Tension between the United States and Pakistan has grown over US complaints that the Afghan Taliban and Haqqani network that target American troops in Afghanistan are allowed to take shelter on Pakistani soil. Trump’s administration last week announced the suspension of about $2 billion in security aid to nuclear-armed Pakistan - officially a US ally - over accusations Islamabad is playing a double game in Afghanistan. Islamabad denies this and accuses the United States of disrespecting its vast sacrifices - casualties have numbered in the tens of thousands - in fighting terrorism. The US aid suspension was announced days after Trump tweeted on Jan. 1 that the United States had foolishly given Pakistan $33 billion in aid over 15 years and was rewarded with “nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools”. It is not clear what prompted Trump’s tweet, which infuriated Pakistani officials and caught the rest of the US administration off guard. The Pakistani statement on Friday did not directly refer to Trump’s tweet. “(Bajwa) said that entire Pakistani nation felt betrayed over US recent statements despite decades of cooperation,” the army said, referring to the phone call between Bajwa and Votel. The Pakistani assertion that Votel said no unilateral action inside Pakistan was being considered may have referred to the possibility of cross-border US drone strikes and other military missions targeting Taliban and other militant figures outside the border area. In 2016, a US drone killed the then-leader of the Taliban, Mullah Akhtar Mansour, in the southwestern province of Baluchistan, prompting protests from Islamabad of a violation of sovereignty. And in 2011, a secret American raid in the military garrison city of Abbottabad killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, the architect of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on American cities that prompted the US-led invasion to topple the Taliban in Afghanistan. Since Trump took office, there have been several drone strikes in Pakistan’s border region but they have not so far gone deeper into Pakistani territory, though Islamabad believes that is on a menu of punitive actions the US administration is considering. However, the US military is also concerned that the Pakistani army, which effectively runs foreign policy, might close the air and land corridors on which US-led troops and Afghan forces in landlocked Afghanistan depend for supplies. So far, Pakistan has not done so.

Pakistan army chief says nation felt 'betrayed' at US criticism

Newly-appointed <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-pro-democracy-credentials-helped-bajwa-get-army-chief-post-9397">Pakistan army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa </a>told the national assembly to &quot;mend&quot; ties with India, Pakistan&#39;s Dawn newspaper reported.

&ldquo;The military is ready to back the political leadership&#39;s initiative for normalisation of relations with arch-rival India,&rdquo; General Bajwa told lawmakers at the Senate committee of Pakistan on Tuesday.

General Bajwa reportedly told the parliamentary forum that &quot;relations with all neighbours had to be normalised&quot;&nbsp;while urging political leaders &quot;to try to improve relations with India&quot;.

Bajwa, however, also added that a large part of Indian military deployments was mostly against Pakistan, even though it cited other threats, Dawn said, adding, that India was fomenting &quot;instability and terrorism in Pakistan&quot; and had developed a strong &quot;nexus with Afghan intelligence agency NDS&quot;, the report said.

India and Pakistan have been exchanging heavy fire along the border in the past two months even as both sides decided to not to engage in gunfire.

Bajwa, who was appointed by ousted Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, was an infantry officer and had commanded Pakistan army&#39;s 10 Corps which is&nbsp;responsible for guarding the area along the Line of Control (LoC) with India.

Bajwa is the fourth officer from the infantry&#39;s Baloch Regiment to become the army chief.

General Bajwa reportedly told the parliamentary forum that "relations with all neighbours had to be normalised"?

Newly-appointed Pakistan army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa told the national assembly to "mend" ties with India, Pakistan's Dawn newspaper reported. “The military is ready to back the political leadership's initiative for normalisation of relations with arch-rival India,” General Bajwa told lawmakers at the Senate committee of Pakistan on Tuesday. General Bajwa reportedly told the parliamentary forum that "relations with all neighbours had to be normalised" while urging political leaders "to try to improve relations with India". Bajwa, however, also added that a large part of Indian military deployments was mostly against Pakistan, even though it cited other threats, Dawn said, adding, that India was fomenting "instability and terrorism in Pakistan" and had developed a strong "nexus with Afghan intelligence agency NDS", the report said. India and Pakistan have been exchanging heavy fire along the border in the past two months even as both sides decided to not to engage in gunfire. Bajwa, who was appointed by ousted Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, was an infantry officer and had commanded Pakistan army's 10 Corps which is responsible for guarding the area along the Line of Control (LoC) with India. Bajwa is the fourth officer from the infantry's Baloch Regiment to become the army chief.

'Mend ties with India,' Pakistan Army chief Bajwa to lawmakers

Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa is &quot;analysing&quot; the evidence against Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, sentenced to death by a military court, and will decide his appeal on merit, the Army said here today.

Jadhav filed a mercy petition before General Bajwa last month, according to an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement issued on June 22. The statement said the former Indian Navy officer had filed the petition after the Military Appellate Court rejected his appeal.

Pakistan Army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor told reporters today that Gen Bajwa was &quot;analysing the evidence against Jadhav. The Army chief will decide on Jadhav&#39;s appeal on merit.&quot;

Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court in April for his alleged involvement in espionage and terrorist activities. The International Court of Justice in The Hague in May halted his execution on India&#39;s appeal.

Pakistan claims to have arrested Jadhav from Balochistan province on March 3 last year after he reportedly entered from Iran. However, India maintains that he was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy.&nbsp;

Jadhav filed a mercy petition before General Bajwa last month, according to an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement issued on June 22

Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa is "analysing" the evidence against Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, sentenced to death by a military court, and will decide his appeal on merit, the Army said here today. Jadhav filed a mercy petition before General Bajwa last month, according to an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement issued on June 22. The statement said the former Indian Navy officer had filed the petition after the Military Appellate Court rejected his appeal. Pakistan Army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor told reporters today that Gen Bajwa was "analysing the evidence against Jadhav. The Army chief will decide on Jadhav's appeal on merit." Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court in April for his alleged involvement in espionage and terrorist activities. The International Court of Justice in The Hague in May halted his execution on India's appeal. Pakistan claims to have arrested Jadhav from Balochistan province on March 3 last year after he reportedly entered from Iran. However, India maintains that he was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy.

Pakistan Army chief 'analysing' evidence against Jadhav: Spokesman

In a major reshuffle to the army&#39;s top brass, Pakistan army chief appointed Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar as the director-general of the Inter-Services Intelligence, PTI reported today.&nbsp;

The development comes two weeks after&nbsp;Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa took over from Gen Raheel Sharif as Chief of Army Staff.&nbsp;

Lt Mukhtar has replaced&nbsp;Lt Gen Rizwan Akhtar, who was put on the no-exit list following a Dawn report that said Nawaz Sharif&#39;s government wanted the army to either act against terrorists or have the country face international diplomatic isolation.

Lt Mukhtar has previously headed the counter-terrorism wing of the spy agency in Islamabad and is known to have significant experience in the field of intelligence.&nbsp;

Gen Bajwa has also made other changes to the top brass, a move that is seen as putting a &quot;new team&quot; in place after taking charge, PTI reported.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from PTI)

Gen Bajwa, who took over the military on Nov 29, has also made other changes to the army top brass

In a major reshuffle to the army's top brass, Pakistan army chief appointed Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar as the director-general of the Inter-Services Intelligence, PTI reported today. The development comes two weeks after Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa took over from Gen Raheel Sharif as Chief of Army Staff. Lt Mukhtar has replaced Lt Gen Rizwan Akhtar, who was put on the no-exit list following a Dawn report that said Nawaz Sharif's government wanted the army to either act against terrorists or have the country face international diplomatic isolation. Lt Mukhtar has previously headed the counter-terrorism wing of the spy agency in Islamabad and is known to have significant experience in the field of intelligence. Gen Bajwa has also made other changes to the top brass, a move that is seen as putting a "new team" in place after taking charge, PTI reported. (WION with inputs from PTI)

New Pak army chief appoints new ISI boss

General Qamar Javed Bajwa, an expert in PoK affairs, today took over as Pakistan&#39;s new army chief succeeding Gen Raheel Sharif, who warned India against adopting an &quot;aggressive stance&quot; in Kashmir.

Gen Raheel handed over the command of world&#39;s sixth-largest army by troop numbers to 57-year-old Bajwa at a ceremony held in the Army Hockey Stadium, close to the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday appointed Bajwa as Chief of Army Staff (COAS) by elevating him to the rank of four-star general.

Raheel in January had declared that he would not seek extension. There was speculation that the PML-N government would give him an extension at the eleventh hour citing reasons that he was needed by the country to lead the&nbsp;war on terror. The post of Army chief is the most powerful in Pakistan.

In his final speech as the army chief, 60-year-old Gen Raheel cautioned India against adopting an aggressive stance in the region.

He said that in recent months &quot;India&#39;s increasing terrorism and aggressive stance&quot; in Kashmir have &quot;endangered&quot; the region.

&quot;India should know that mistaking our policy of patience for weakness would be dangerous,&quot; he said.

&quot;This is reality, that in South Asia, lasting peace and progress is impossible without solution of the Kashmir issue. For that, international community&#39;s special attention is necessary,&quot; he said. 
He also stressed the need for institutions to work together for the nation&#39;s progress.

&quot;It is important that all institutions work together against external threats and internal threats. For this, we will need to follow the National Action Plan in letter and spirit,&quot; Gen Raheel said. 
&quot;The army will remain alert to threats, whether external or internal,&quot; he said.

For regional peace, he said, issues should be resolved politically.

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a major factor in ensuring regional peace, he said.

&quot;The departure of the first cargo from Gwadar port has shown this journey cannot be halted now,&quot; he warned. &quot;The time is here now that the enemies of CPEC stop working against it and become a part of it.&quot;

Bajwa was earlier serving as Inspector General of the Training and Evaluation and also commanded the famed 10 Corps, the army`s largest, which is responsible for the area along the Line of Control (LoC).

As a major general, Bajwa led the Force Command Northern Areas. He also served in the 10 Corps as lieutenant colonel. He also served with a UN mission in Congo as a brigade commander alongside former Indian army chief Gen Bikram Singh, who was also there as a division commander.

The new army chief has wide experience of LoC affairs due to his extensive involvement with Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and northern areas.

According to reports, General Bajwa&#39;s &quot;pro-democracy credentials&quot; and his low-profile influenced the Prime Minister to appoint him to the powerful post of army chief superseding four top generals.

The military has been in charge of the country for more than half of Pakistan&#39;s nearly 70-year history since independence from Britain.&nbsp;

&#39;Bajwa&#39;s message to India&#39;

The terror attack at Nagrota in Jammu and Kashmir today is a &quot;message&quot; sent by Pakistan&#39;s newly appointed army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa to India, former Home Secretary R K Singh said.

&quot;We need to take note of the fact that this is the (Pakistan) new Army chief sending a message. His policy will be same as followed by the predecessor...We (also) need to send across a message to him,&quot; he said.

&quot;India will hit back harder every time it is targeted,&quot; he said.

The BJP MP&#39;s remarks came after militants in police uniform attacked an Army artillery unit in Nagrota, killing three Army personnel, including an officer, and leaving several others injured.

Singh said Pakistan continued to &quot;bleed&quot; India through such terrorist attacks, adding that the recently conducted PoK surgical strike by the Indian Army was not a &quot;one-off&quot; event.

&quot;It was a statement of policy...Our policy is that we will hit you back every time you hit us. We will hit you back harder. So, I think a couple of more time we hit them back, it will certainly settle in their mind,&quot; he said.

The BJP leader added that India needed to &quot;follow up on its policy of imposing cost&quot; and that the &quot;Army should revisit the security procedure in general, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir.&quot;&nbsp;

(PTI)

&nbsp;

In his final speech as the army chief, Sharif cautioned India against adopting an aggressive stance in the region

General Qamar Javed Bajwa, an expert in PoK affairs, today took over as Pakistan's new army chief succeeding Gen Raheel Sharif, who warned India against adopting an "aggressive stance" in Kashmir. Gen Raheel handed over the command of world's sixth-largest army by troop numbers to 57-year-old Bajwa at a ceremony held in the Army Hockey Stadium, close to the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday appointed Bajwa as Chief of Army Staff (COAS) by elevating him to the rank of four-star general. Raheel in January had declared that he would not seek extension. There was speculation that the PML-N government would give him an extension at the eleventh hour citing reasons that he was needed by the country to lead the war on terror. The post of Army chief is the most powerful in Pakistan. In his final speech as the army chief, 60-year-old Gen Raheel cautioned India against adopting an aggressive stance in the region. He said that in recent months "India's increasing terrorism and aggressive stance" in Kashmir have "endangered" the region. "India should know that mistaking our policy of patience for weakness would be dangerous," he said. "This is reality, that in South Asia, lasting peace and progress is impossible without solution of the Kashmir issue. For that, international community's special attention is necessary," he said. He also stressed the need for institutions to work together for the nation's progress. "It is important that all institutions work together against external threats and internal threats. For this, we will need to follow the National Action Plan in letter and spirit," Gen Raheel said. "The army will remain alert to threats, whether external or internal," he said. For regional peace, he said, issues should be resolved politically. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a major factor in ensuring regional peace, he said. "The departure of the first cargo from Gwadar port has shown this journey cannot be halted now," he warned. "The time is here now that the enemies of CPEC stop working against it and become a part of it." Bajwa was earlier serving as Inspector General of the Training and Evaluation and also commanded the famed 10 Corps, the army`s largest, which is responsible for the area along the Line of Control (LoC). As a major general, Bajwa led the Force Command Northern Areas. He also served in the 10 Corps as lieutenant colonel. He also served with a UN mission in Congo as a brigade commander alongside former Indian army chief Gen Bikram Singh, who was also there as a division commander. The new army chief has wide experience of LoC affairs due to his extensive involvement with Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and northern areas. According to reports, General Bajwa's "pro-democracy credentials" and his low-profile influenced the Prime Minister to appoint him to the powerful post of army chief superseding four top generals. The military has been in charge of the country for more than half of Pakistan's nearly 70-year history since independence from Britain. 'Bajwa's message to India' The terror attack at Nagrota in Jammu and Kashmir today is a "message" sent by Pakistan's newly appointed army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa to India, former Home Secretary R K Singh said. "We need to take note of the fact that this is the (Pakistan) new Army chief sending a message. His policy will be same as followed by the predecessor...We (also) need to send across a message to him," he said. "India will hit back harder every time it is targeted," he said. The BJP MP's remarks came after militants in police uniform attacked an Army artillery unit in Nagrota, killing three Army personnel, including an officer, and leaving several others injured. Singh said Pakistan continued to "bleed" India through such terrorist attacks, adding that the recently conducted PoK surgical strike by the Indian Army was not a "one-off" event. "It was a statement of policy...Our policy is that we will hit you back every time you hit us. We will hit you back harder. So, I think a couple of more time we hit them back, it will certainly settle in their mind," he said. The BJP leader added that India needed to "follow up on its policy of imposing cost" and that the "Army should revisit the security procedure in general, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir." (PTI)

Outgoing Pakistan army chief Raheel Sharif warns India

By&nbsp;Taha Siddiqui

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif appointed Lieutenant General Qamar Javed Bajwa as the Chief of Army Staff (COA) on Saturday.&nbsp;

Khwaja Asif, the federal minister for defence confirmed the development. &ldquo;Two lieutenant generals were promoted as four star generals, as per the advisory from the prime minister,&rdquo; he informed local media.&nbsp;

The other is Lieutenant General Zubair Hayat who has been appointed as Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee (CJCSC). A formal notification in this regard was issued by the Prime Minister House late on Saturday night.&nbsp;

The new army chief will take charge on November 29 when General Raheel Sharif is set to retire. The ceremony will take place at the military headquarters in Rawalpindi.&nbsp;

Lieutenant General Bajwa was commissioned in 16 Baloch Regiment on October 24, 1980. He is a graduate of Canadian Forces Command and Staff College, in Toronto, Canada.&nbsp;

He also attended Naval Post Graduate University in Monterey, California, USA, and National Defence University in Islamabad.

He was an instructor at School of Infantry and Tactics at Quetta Command and Staff College and at National Defence University.&nbsp;

He was the Brigade Major of an Infantry Brigade and Chief of Staff of Rawalpindi Corps. He commanded 16 Baloch Regiment, an Infantry Brigade and has commanded Infantry Division in Northern Areas.&nbsp;

He has commanded a Pakistan Contingent in Congo and was Corp Commander Rawalpindi. Currently, Bajwa holds the post of Inspector General Training and Evaluation at General Headquarters, a position his predecessor General Sharif was also commanding before his elevation to the army chief in 2013.

General Raheel Sharif is set to leave a legacy behind, in terms of turning the image of the military around with an aggressive public relations campaign.

He also undertook major military operations that the previous army chiefs were reluctant to undertake, like the North Waziristan operation in 2014, following which Pakistan has seen a relative calm.

In recent months, however, terror outfits have once again struck in different parts of country, which reflects that the military has not been completely successful at eradicating militant groups operating in Pakistan.

Some have pointed fingers at the fact that while General Sharif promised zero-tolerance for militancy, some militants groups continue to operate freely, with the authorities letting them be.&nbsp;

Also, under General Sharif, the military continued to wield influence in important policy-making areas, especially with regards to foreign and domestic security policy, and ensured that the civil-military imbalance continued to favour the army. For this reason, some in Pakistan say that the prime minister of the country has a peculiar task when it comes to selecting army chiefs, in the sense of choosing his own boss.

General Bajwa takes command of the Pakistan army at a time when tensions with India are at a peak after claims by Indian Army of a surgical strike inside Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The Pakistan Army has rejected the claim.

Following this, cross border firing has intensified, especially on the Line of Control between Pakistan and Indian Kashmir, with both sides claiming the other of violating the ceasefire agreement of 2004.

&nbsp;Owing to such recent tensions,observers say his main focus will be Pakistan&rsquo;s relations with India, and given the history &ndash; the military is known to be not in favour of improving ties with India, as it gives them the relevance they need in Pakistan to continue being in the driving seat, when it comes to policy-making.

(WION)

Qamar Bajwa, who replaces outgoing chief Raheel Sharif, will assume office on Tuesday

By Taha Siddiqui Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif appointed Lieutenant General Qamar Javed Bajwa as the Chief of Army Staff (COA) on Saturday. Khwaja Asif, the federal minister for defence confirmed the development. “Two lieutenant generals were promoted as four star generals, as per the advisory from the prime minister,” he informed local media. The other is Lieutenant General Zubair Hayat who has been appointed as Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee (CJCSC). A formal notification in this regard was issued by the Prime Minister House late on Saturday night. The new army chief will take charge on November 29 when General Raheel Sharif is set to retire. The ceremony will take place at the military headquarters in Rawalpindi. Lieutenant General Bajwa was commissioned in 16 Baloch Regiment on October 24, 1980. He is a graduate of Canadian Forces Command and Staff College, in Toronto, Canada. He also attended Naval Post Graduate University in Monterey, California, USA, and National Defence University in Islamabad. He was an instructor at School of Infantry and Tactics at Quetta Command and Staff College and at National Defence University. He was the Brigade Major of an Infantry Brigade and Chief of Staff of Rawalpindi Corps. He commanded 16 Baloch Regiment, an Infantry Brigade and has commanded Infantry Division in Northern Areas. He has commanded a Pakistan Contingent in Congo and was Corp Commander Rawalpindi. Currently, Bajwa holds the post of Inspector General Training and Evaluation at General Headquarters, a position his predecessor General Sharif was also commanding before his elevation to the army chief in 2013. General Raheel Sharif is set to leave a legacy behind, in terms of turning the image of the military around with an aggressive public relations campaign. He also undertook major military operations that the previous army chiefs were reluctant to undertake, like the North Waziristan operation in 2014, following which Pakistan has seen a relative calm. In recent months, however, terror outfits have once again struck in different parts of country, which reflects that the military has not been completely successful at eradicating militant groups operating in Pakistan. Some have pointed fingers at the fact that while General Sharif promised zero-tolerance for militancy, some militants groups continue to operate freely, with the authorities letting them be. Also, under General Sharif, the military continued to wield influence in important policy-making areas, especially with regards to foreign and domestic security policy, and ensured that the civil-military imbalance continued to favour the army. For this reason, some in Pakistan say that the prime minister of the country has a peculiar task when it comes to selecting army chiefs, in the sense of choosing his own boss. General Bajwa takes command of the Pakistan army at a time when tensions with India are at a peak after claims by Indian Army of a surgical strike inside Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The Pakistan Army has rejected the claim. Following this, cross border firing has intensified, especially on the Line of Control between Pakistan and Indian Kashmir, with both sides claiming the other of violating the ceasefire agreement of 2004. Owing to such recent tensions,observers say his main focus will be Pakistan’s relations with India, and given the history – the military is known to be not in favour of improving ties with India, as it gives them the relevance they need in Pakistan to continue being in the driving seat, when it comes to policy-making. (WION)

Lt Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa is Pakistan's new army chief

A new army chief will be appointed by the Pakistan government within 10 days to replace incumbent General Raheel Sharif, a senior minister has been quoted as saying by Indian news agency PTI.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;The government has not yet decided [as to who will be the new army chief] but is likely to announce his name in week or ten days&#39; time,&quot; Associated Press of Pakistan quoted state minister for Capital Administration Tariq Fazl Chaudhry as saying.

&nbsp;

General Raheel, who is poised to retire by November end, set to &nbsp;had announced several months ago that he will not seek a second term unlike his predecessor General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

It is prerogative of the Prime Minister to appoint the new army chief under the law. &nbsp;The government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been under pressure&nbsp;to name General Raheel&#39;s successor &nbsp;to end uncertainty amids domestic and external security challenges.

&nbsp;

While outgoing army chief can give his advice, Sharif&#39;s powers are absolute in this regard.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from PTI)

Incumbent General Raheel Sharif, set to retire in November, had said several months ago that he will not seek a second term

A new army chief will be appointed by the Pakistan government within 10 days to replace incumbent General Raheel Sharif, a senior minister has been quoted as saying by Indian news agency PTI. "The government has not yet decided [as to who will be the new army chief] but is likely to announce his name in week or ten days' time," Associated Press of Pakistan quoted state minister for Capital Administration Tariq Fazl Chaudhry as saying. General Raheel, who is poised to retire by November end, set to had announced several months ago that he will not seek a second term unlike his predecessor General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani. It is prerogative of the Prime Minister to appoint the new army chief under the law. The government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been under pressure to name General Raheel's successor to end uncertainty amids domestic and external security challenges. While outgoing army chief can give his advice, Sharif's powers are absolute in this regard. (WION with inputs from PTI)

Pak to appoint new army chief within ten days

Pakistan&#39;s chief of army staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif held a corps commanders&#39; conference today to review the the Pakistan army&#39;s operational preparedness. 
 
The meeting was held at the army&#39;s general headquarters in Rawalpindi and looked to assess the state of Pakistan&#39;s security, both internal and external.&nbsp; 
 
Taking note of the &quot;hostile narrative being propagated by India&quot;&nbsp;-- Sharif was referring to the aftermath of Sunday&#39;s attack on an Indian army camp in Uri, Kashmir in which 17 soldiers were killed -- the&nbsp;COAS &quot;we are closely watching the latest happenings in the region&quot; and their impact on Pakistan&#39;s security.&nbsp; 
 
Expressing his satisfaction with the Pakistani army&#39;s operational preparedness, he said the country&#39;s armed forces are fully prepared to respond to the entire spectrum of direct and indirect threats. He said the armed forces, together with &quot;our resilient nation&quot;, has surmounted every challenge and will thwart any sinister design against the integrity and sovereignty of Pakistan in the future as well. 
 
Sartaj Aziz, the Pakistan Prime Minister&#39;s adviser on foreign affairs, meanwhile accused India today of trying to deflect attention away from the situation in Kashmir by blaming Pakistan for the Uri attack. 
 
(WION)

Taking note of the 'hostile narrative being propagated by India', the army chief said 'we are closely watching the latest happenings'

Pakistan's chief of army staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif held a corps commanders' conference today to review the the Pakistan army's operational preparedness. The meeting was held at the army's general headquarters in Rawalpindi and looked to assess the state of Pakistan's security, both internal and external. Taking note of the "hostile narrative being propagated by India" -- Sharif was referring to the aftermath of Sunday's attack on an Indian army camp in Uri, Kashmir in which 17 soldiers were killed -- the COAS "we are closely watching the latest happenings in the region" and their impact on Pakistan's security. Expressing his satisfaction with the Pakistani army's operational preparedness, he said the country's armed forces are fully prepared to respond to the entire spectrum of direct and indirect threats. He said the armed forces, together with "our resilient nation", has surmounted every challenge and will thwart any sinister design against the integrity and sovereignty of Pakistan in the future as well. Sartaj Aziz, the Pakistan Prime Minister's adviser on foreign affairs, meanwhile accused India today of trying to deflect attention away from the situation in Kashmir by blaming Pakistan for the Uri attack. (WION)

After Uri, Pak reviews army's operational preparedness

Kashmir is Pakistan&#39;s &quot;jugular vein&quot; and people of Kashmir will continue to get Pakistan&#39;s support on diplomatic fronts,&nbsp;Pakistan army chief General Raheel Sharif said on Tuesday.&nbsp; 
 
Sharif&nbsp;was addressing the Defence Day ceremony in memory of martyrs who died in the Indo-Pak war in 1965, where he expressed support for the people of &nbsp;the disputed region in the northernmost past of India.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;We salute the great sacrifices of the people of Indian held Kashmir for their right of self-determination,&quot;&nbsp;Pakistan daily Express Tribune quoted him as saying.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;The solution of the problem lies in the implementation of the resolutions of United Nations in this regard. Pakistan will continue to support Kashmir on the diplomatic and ethical fronts.&rdquo; 
 
The war of words between India and Pakistan after unrest broke out in Kashmir following killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani. The ensuing violence has left at least 70 people dead and thousands injured.&nbsp;Kashmir is claimed by both India and Pakistan and remains a bone of contention even after seven decades. 
 
&quot;The solution is not spraying Kashmiri people with bullets, those who are struggling for their right to self determination. The solution lies there in hearing their voice and to respect their aspirations. The solution of Kashmir issue is only possible if UN resolutions are enforced,&quot; &nbsp;Sharif said.&nbsp; 
 
 
Pak-China ties 
 
Sharif also said that Pakistan and China&#39;s relationship is based on mutual respect and any threat to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will be dealt with a heavy-hand. 
 
&ldquo;I want to make it clear to all enemies of Pakistan that Pakistan has always been strong and today it is invincible,&quot; he asserted. 
 
The CPEC is 3,000-kilometer-long which includes a network of roads, railways and pipelines connecting western China to the Arabian Sea through Pakistan. 
 
The project was given a green signal last year when Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Pakistan. The agreement includes a plan for energy and infrastructure projects worth 46$ billion in Pakistan and aims to underscore China&#39;s economic ambitions in Asia. 
 
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was reported to be &quot;concerned&quot; and had termed the project &quot;unacceptable&quot;, Reuters reported. 
 
Indian foreign minister Sushma Swaraj said, Prime Minister Modi had &quot;very strongly&quot; raised the issue during his visit to Beijing and the Indian governement had summoned a Chinese envoy. 
 
China, however rejected India&#39;s reservations and said India&#39;s concerns were baseless. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies) 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

We salute the great sacrifices of the people of Indian held Kashmir for their right of self-determination: General Raheel Sharif

Kashmir is Pakistan's "jugular vein" and people of Kashmir will continue to get Pakistan's support on diplomatic fronts, Pakistan army chief General Raheel Sharif said on Tuesday. Sharif was addressing the Defence Day ceremony in memory of martyrs who died in the Indo-Pak war in 1965, where he expressed support for the people of the disputed region in the northernmost past of India. “We salute the great sacrifices of the people of Indian held Kashmir for their right of self-determination," Pakistan daily Express Tribune quoted him as saying. "The solution of the problem lies in the implementation of the resolutions of United Nations in this regard. Pakistan will continue to support Kashmir on the diplomatic and ethical fronts.” The war of words between India and Pakistan after unrest broke out in Kashmir following killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani. The ensuing violence has left at least 70 people dead and thousands injured. Kashmir is claimed by both India and Pakistan and remains a bone of contention even after seven decades. "The solution is not spraying Kashmiri people with bullets, those who are struggling for their right to self determination. The solution lies there in hearing their voice and to respect their aspirations. The solution of Kashmir issue is only possible if UN resolutions are enforced," Sharif said. Pak-China ties Sharif also said that Pakistan and China's relationship is based on mutual respect and any threat to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will be dealt with a heavy-hand. “I want to make it clear to all enemies of Pakistan that Pakistan has always been strong and today it is invincible," he asserted. The CPEC is 3,000-kilometer-long which includes a network of roads, railways and pipelines connecting western China to the Arabian Sea through Pakistan. The project was given a green signal last year when Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Pakistan. The agreement includes a plan for energy and infrastructure projects worth 46$ billion in Pakistan and aims to underscore China's economic ambitions in Asia. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was reported to be "concerned" and had termed the project "unacceptable", Reuters reported. Indian foreign minister Sushma Swaraj said, Prime Minister Modi had "very strongly" raised the issue during his visit to Beijing and the Indian governement had summoned a Chinese envoy. China, however rejected India's reservations and said India's concerns were baseless. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Kashmir is Pakistan's 'jugular vein', says Pakistan army chief

Pakistan&#39;s powerful army chief General Raheel Sharif has asked the US to target the hideouts of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan militants and their chief Mullah Fazlullah in Afghanistan. 
 
General Raheel made the demand during a high-level meeting with Commander Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan General John Nicholson and US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Olson here yesterday. 
 
In a late night statement, the army said Gen Raheel demanded targeting of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan militants and Mullah Fazlullah in their hideouts in Afghanistan. 
 
&quot;Raising the demand of targeting TTP and Mullah Fazlullah in their bases in Afghanistan, COAS reiterated Pakistan&#39;s resolve not to allow hostile intelligence agencies&#39; efforts, especially RAW and NDS, of fomenting terrorism,&quot; it said. 
 
It was the first visit of high-level officials from the US since fresh tension with Pakistan after the killing of the Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Mansour by a CIA drone in Balochistan on May 21. 
 
The army said the regional security situation, with particular reference to border management and peace and stability in Afghanistan in the post-May 21 US drone strike environment came under discussion. 
 
&quot;Expressing his serious concern on the US drone strike in Balochistan as a violation of Pakistan&#39;s sovereignty, Gen Raheel highlighted as to how it had impacted the mutual trust and respect and was counter-productive in consolidating the gains of Operation Zarb-e-Azb,&quot; it said. 
 
Raheel said all efforts for durable peace in the region have to be synergised with shared commitment and responsibility in order to make them successful. 
 
He said all stakeholders need to understand Pakistan&#39;s challenges with regard to porous border, inter-tribal linkages and decades-old presence of over 3 million refugees. 
 
&quot;Blaming Pakistan for instability in Afghanistan is unfortunate,&quot; he said. 
 
He said Pakistan is committed to work for a long term peace process for Afghanistan under the four nation Quadrilateral Coordination Group framework, involving Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and the US. 
 
Earlier, the high-level US delegation met the Prime Minister&#39;s Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz who warned the American officials of consequences for bilateral ties if attacks like killing of Mansour on May 21 were repeated.

But adds the May 21 drone strike that killed Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Mansour in Pakistan was violation of his country's sovereignity

Pakistan's powerful army chief General Raheel Sharif has asked the US to target the hideouts of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan militants and their chief Mullah Fazlullah in Afghanistan. General Raheel made the demand during a high-level meeting with Commander Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan General John Nicholson and US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Olson here yesterday. In a late night statement, the army said Gen Raheel demanded targeting of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan militants and Mullah Fazlullah in their hideouts in Afghanistan. "Raising the demand of targeting TTP and Mullah Fazlullah in their bases in Afghanistan, COAS reiterated Pakistan's resolve not to allow hostile intelligence agencies' efforts, especially RAW and NDS, of fomenting terrorism," it said. It was the first visit of high-level officials from the US since fresh tension with Pakistan after the killing of the Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Mansour by a CIA drone in Balochistan on May 21. The army said the regional security situation, with particular reference to border management and peace and stability in Afghanistan in the post-May 21 US drone strike environment came under discussion. "Expressing his serious concern on the US drone strike in Balochistan as a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty, Gen Raheel highlighted as to how it had impacted the mutual trust and respect and was counter-productive in consolidating the gains of Operation Zarb-e-Azb," it said. Raheel said all efforts for durable peace in the region have to be synergised with shared commitment and responsibility in order to make them successful. He said all stakeholders need to understand Pakistan's challenges with regard to porous border, inter-tribal linkages and decades-old presence of over 3 million refugees. "Blaming Pakistan for instability in Afghanistan is unfortunate," he said. He said Pakistan is committed to work for a long term peace process for Afghanistan under the four nation Quadrilateral Coordination Group framework, involving Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and the US. Earlier, the high-level US delegation met the Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz who warned the American officials of consequences for bilateral ties if attacks like killing of Mansour on May 21 were repeated.

Pak army chief asks US to bomb hideouts of Taliban in Afghanistan

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