ISLAMABAD: National Security Advisor Lt Gen (r) Nasser Khan Janjua Wednesday said terrorism required international and global response as it could not be fought individually or by a single country.
“Despite losing children, senior leadership and thousands of innocent people in war against terrorism, our resilience is intact,” he said while speaking at a session ‘Dynamics of Internal Security’ at the International Counter-Terrorism Forum organised by the National Counter-Terrorism Authority (NACTA).
He said there was dire need to work together to purge the country from the menace of terrorism. He said the whole world was suffering from terrorism and Pakistan was also a victim of it. He said unfortunately despite suffering heavy losses in the war against terrorism, Pakistan was being accused of playing ‘double game’. He said Pakistan fought as a frontline state against terrorism and its people and security forces rendered matchless sacrifices for the sake of the country.
“If Pakistan didn’t ally with the US, would Afghanistan be free today? If the Soviet Union didn’t fall, would the Berlin Wall have been taken down and 14 countries freed? Would the US have become a superpower if the Soviet Union persisted? After the fall of Soviet Union, the US and international community moved out of Afghanistan. The international community left us to deal with the aftermath of the Afghan war,” he said, adding that 9/11 was a result of the work left incomplete by the international community.
The adviser said the US and its allied forces abandoned Afghanistan after the collapse of former Soviet Union (USSR), resulting in the creation of a vacuum. Later on, that vacuum was filled by radical groups, he added.
Janjua remarked that Pakistan has served as a saviour for Afghanistan in the past. Pakistan respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan, the NSA said, adding that both Pakistan and Afghanistan had rendered great sacrifices in the war against terrorism. “Pakistan has always extended help to Afghanistan and is committed to Afghan peace and stability,” he said.
He said Pakistan’s leadership formulated a national action plan (NAP) to tackle the menace of terrorism, adding that all the provinces and other stakeholders contributed well and stood like a rock against the menace. He said various operations including Zarb-e-Azb and Radd-ul-Fasad were launched against the terrorists and eventually FATA and several others areas were fully cleared. He said Karachi operation had also normalized life in the port city.
The adviser said that Pakistan shared good relations with the Russian Federation. “Russia has been standing with Pakistan and Afghanistan throughout the years.”
While speaking on the occasion, Afrasiab Khattak said that Pakistani people and personnel of the armed forces had made supreme sacrifices in fight against terrorists.He said Pakistan had shown strength and perseverance through people and the political leadership who stood united in dealing with the menace of terrorism. He said political leadership supported NACTA in all its endeavours to make Pakistan a country free from extremism and violence.
It is pertinent to mention here that the basic objective of the forum is to highlight Pakistan’s endeavors and achievements in the war against terror. The forum engages diplomats, governmental officials, parliamentarians, politicians, United Nation agencies, international organizations, aid agencies, media, civil society and world community at large.
Earlier, one-minute silence was observed for the victims of terrorism. A documentary, depicting efforts of people, the government and security agencies of the country against terrorism, was also played on the occasion.
Published in Daily Times, April 5th 2018.
