Foreign Office Thursday declared that India's offensive doctrines-Cold Start Doctrine and Pro-Active Strategy- expose irresponsible behavior in a nuclearized region. Responding to media queries during his weekly press briefing, Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal invited India to engage in a meaningful dialogue aimed at agreeing on measures of restraint and military doctrines which are defensive in nature rather than seeking to create space for war.
"India should respond positively to Pakistan's proposal for a Strategic Restraint Regime that can serve as the basis for enduring peace and stability in the region," he said, adding it will better serve the interests of both the countries to engage in a meaningful dialogue aimed at agreeing on measures of restraint. At the same time, he also made it clear that Pakistan's armed forces are fully prepared to defend Pakistan against any threat.
He was responding to queries on India's planning to build a new airbase in Gujrat near Pakistani border with an aim to fight a 'short and swift war' against Pakistan. "Statements by the Indian military leadership have confirmed the existence of the Cold Start Doctrine, which only validates what Pakistan has known all along regarding India's aggressive designs. Military doctrines, such as Cold Start and Pro-Active Strategy, envision limited war below the nuclear threshold," he said.
The report about Gujrat provides credibility to the fact that India is fast developing the infrastructure and force configurations to operationalize these military doctrines, he said. "Subscribing to such offensive doctrines in a nuclearized region expose irresponsible behavior," he added. To another question, he said that there are multiple anti-Pakistan actors active in Afghanistan, adding that friendly relations between the two countries do not go well with certain elements.
"We are cognizant of such machinations and would not let such elements succeed in their nefarious intentions," he said, adding that there is nexus between RAW and terrorist networks in Afghanistan including, TTP, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JUA) and others. He said that these outfits have been involved in subversive activities inside Pakistan and also working against the national interest of Pakistan in Afghanistan.
Commenting on the Nato secretary general's allegations of 'safe havens' in Pakistan, he rejected the allegations, saying that "such fallacious assertions are counterproductive and detrimental." He insisted that there are no organized bases of any terrorist organizations anywhere in the country. Pakistan has made unmatched sacrifices, both in blood and treasure, in fighting terrorism. "No country has done more than Pakistan, or suffered more than Pakistan in combating the menace of terrorism...We completely reject baseless allegations of [terrorists] bases in Pakistan," he said.
He pointed out that more than 45 percent of the Afghan territory is ungoverned and uncontrolled, adding that Taliban operate from these areas affecting not only Afghanistan but also Pakistan. "It is in this area that Nato should focus to ensure end to violence and terrorism in the region," he added. On the issue of troops surge in Afghanistan, he said that Pakistan believes that there is no military solution to the Afghan conflict, and a political solution is imperative for lasting peace and stability. "It is very important for Afghanistan to be at peace with itself and its neighbours," he added.
Commenting on US Ambassador David Hale's statement asking Pakistan to take decisive action against all terrorists allegedly operating from its soil, Dr Faisal said that Pakistan has undertaken comprehensive and successful counterterrorism operations in the last four years in line with the country's own resolve to rid the country of terrorism. "The results of operations Zarb-e-Azb and Khyber-IV are before everyone to see which cleared North Waziristan and Khyber Agencies of terrorist networks of all shades and denominations," he said, adding operation Raddul Fassad is an ongoing effort to eliminate terrorists anywhere in the country.
Extremist ideology has permeated societies all over the world and requires efforts at the international scale, he said, adding, "We expect that the US and Afghanistan may address Pakistan's concerns of expanding ungoverned spaces inside Afghanistan and the sanctuaries that are being used to launch terrorist attacks inside Pakistan."
On the killing of a Pakistani diplomatic official in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, he said that the issue has forcefully been taken up with the Afghan authorities, adding that investigations have been initiated by the Afghan authorities. He said that the Afghan side agreed to keep Pakistan informed about the progress in the investigations. He said that Afghan government has also been requested that the security of its diplomatic staff and missions in Afghanistan be strengthened.
On the recent meeting of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he rejected the Indian officials' claims that Pakistan was criticized in the forum, saying that the Indian media has quoted its Ministry of External Affairs officials as the source for their reports, "which indicates that Indian officials are feeding wrong information to their media."
"It is also unfortunate that certain countries are using such purely technical forums for political ends and trying to divulge confidential information," he added. About Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa's recent visit to Iran, he said that in recent years, bilateral exchanges with Iran at high level and at all other levels have increased considerably, adding that both the sides are committed to further strengthening their bilateral ties.
In the interest of peace and stability in the region, he said that Pakistan has continued to make efforts for unity among the Muslim countries. About the anti-Pakistan campaign in London, he said the matter of displaying anti-Pakistan slogans on London cabs was raised with the British authorities both in London and Islamabad.
Subsequently, the Transport for London (Tfl) company promptly responded and ordered the removal of the same from the London cabs immediately, he said, adding that the company has initiated an inquiry into the matter and assured disciplinary action against the perpetrators.
"We know the sinister hands behind such malicious campaigns and are confident that they will not succeed. We expect our friends to ensure that such activities which are against the UN Charter and violate territorial integrity and sovereignty are not permitted on their territory," he added.
On South Korea's decision to limit installation of THAAD (terminal high altitude area defense) system in its territory, he said that Pakistan welcomes any move that can reduce tension in the Korean Peninsula. "Pakistan maintains that concerned parties should pursue all avenues to reduce tension in the Korean Peninsula and the region. Any step towards achieving this objective by any party would be acknowledged," he added.
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