Pakistan has 'resisted the temptation' of involving itself in arms race despite rising security challenges, says COAS

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa said on Thursday that despite the rising security challenges, Pakistan has been one of the few countries which has resisted the temptation of involving itself in an arms race.

Addressing the National Security Dialogue (NSD) event, the COAS said that national security in the age of globalization, information and connectivity has now become an al encompassing notion. "Surely, it is not solely a function of the armed forces anymore," the COAS said.

He underlined the need for countries to work together to face various challenges such as terrorism, coronavirus pandemic and other ills. "Responding in silos is no longer an option," the army chief added.

"The world has seen the ravages of the world wars and the Cold War, wherein polarisation and neglect of virtues blighted the future and brought catastrophic consequences for humanity," he said.

He continued that 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. "Frayed relations between various powers centres of the globe and boomeranging of competing alliances can bring nothing but another stint of Cold War," the COAS said.

The army chief further said that unsettled issues in South Asia are dragging the entire region back into poverty and underdevelopment. He added that it is still the least integrated region when it comes to issues like water, trade, infrastructure and energy cooperation.

He said due to these disputes, countries end up spending financial resources on defence at the expense of human development. "Pakistan has been one of the few countries which, despite the rising security challenges, has resisted the temptation of involving itself in an arms race. Our defence expenditures have rather reduced instead of increasing."

The COAS further said that Pakistan is ready to resolve all outstanding disputes with its neighbors through dialogue in a dignified and peaceful manner. This choice is deliberate and based on rationality, and not as a result of any pressure, he clarified.

Addressing the event Special Assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan on National Security Moeed Yousaf said that today, public relations no longer works for areas of national security. "We have worked with all our other ministry departments and military to come up with a whole government approach and coordinate strategic communication," the SAPM said.