ALI HUSSAIN

ISLAMABAD: Advisor to the Prime Minister on National Security, Lt-Gen Nasser Khan Janjua (retd) on Monday accused Untied States of ‘exporting war’ to South Asian region to contain China and prevent resurgence of Russia.

Speaking at a seminar titled “National Security Policy – Vision for Pakistan,” he stated that Pakistan has already won the war against terrorism with a remarkable decline in terrorist incidents.

In Balochistan, he said, the insurgents are surrendering their weapons and joining the mainstream, adding that the incidents of terrorism have come down. “Pakistan has already won this war…we have defeated the nefarious designs. Now we are continuing to pursue our objectives,” he added.

“Today, Balochistan is once again ringing with slogans of Jeevay Jeevay Balochistan and Jeevay Jeevay Pakistan,” he added.

Speaking in the context of the deepening Indo-US strategic relations, he said that the US is exporting war and perpetual instability to South Asia to mitigate challenges faced to it — rise of China and Russia — as well as to ensure self-survival in the region. “The region is virtually altered and is in critical imbalance,” he added.

Following the military thought, he stated that India continues to curve the space for a limited war and continues to pose a threat of conventional war. “Despite Pakistan’s nuclear capability, war cannot be ruled out in the region,” he said, adding, “Keeping Pakistan under a constant threat of war, we are facing perpetual undeclared political, military and economic threats.” He pointed out that India has turned out to be the largest arms importer.

He maintained that the US and India have connived on many issues, adding the US is speaking India’s language on Kashmir. “The US is opposing our nuclear [capability]…It [US] is opposing our CPEC…In Afghanistan, India is [its] prepared ally,” he added.

He further referred to the negative messages coming from Washington including blocking the transfer of F-16s, ‘scapegoating’ Pakistan for US’ failure in Afghanistan, making it irrelevant in Afghanistan, opposing nuclear and long-range weapons to Pakistan, asking for Shakil Afridi’s handover, speaking India’s language on every subject, threatening to downgrade all ties, the US lawmakers are calling to designate Pakistan as ‘state sponsoring terrorism.’

He said that Pakistan’s 11 entities have already been enlisted and very recently Pakistan has been singled out, it has been blamed and threatened. “Our nuclear capability has been linked with the terrorism. India has become the preferred ally in Afghanistan and the military solution [to Afghan conflict] is again given the preference,” he said, describing all these as challenges faced by Pakistan.

About Afghanistan, he said Pakistan attaches great importance to restoration of peace and stability in Afghanistan. He suggested that the US should appoint a ‘political authority’ in Afghanistan as empowered as military to seek a political solution to the Afghan conflict, adding that political option was the only solution.

About the way forward on India, he said that the two countries should resolve their issues through dialogue for the future of their people. “For these two nuclear states, if we cannot be friends, let’s do not be enemies,” he asserted.

Referring to the challenges to the region, he pointed out that the policy of ‘Rebalancing Asia’, which is basically containment of China and prevention of resurgence of Russia, as the major challenge.

He further pointed out that the strategic stability of the region was another challenge, adding that the region has already been altered as India has been chosen to challenge China and Afghanistan to checkmate Russia. He further stated that India’s political, military and economic preference is a threat to Pakistan given its huge arms buildup.

The security architecture of South Asia is under stress, he asserted, adding that there is a two-pronged situation becoming for Pakistan — confronting India and dealing with the rising extremism. “There is a need for particular and specific efforts for balancing the region because we are only a ‘mistake’ away,” he cautioned.

He said that India is building its military power posing a serious threat to peace and security of the region, adding that India has been engaged in an unending cold war against Pakistan.

He regretted that the United States is shifting blame on Pakistan for its failures against the Taliban in Afghanistan. He said the US accuses Pakistan of having ties with the Haqqani Network and the Taliban. In fact, he added, Pakistan only started facing terrorism when it aligned its forces with the US.

He said that Pakistan paid a heavy price while fighting this war but the world never recognized its losses and the sacrifices.

Janjua said Pakistan is playing a leading role in the war on terror and the international community should acknowledge its unprecedented sacrifices.

Chairman Center for Global and Strategic Studies (CGSS) and former ISI chief, Lt-Gen Zaheer-ul-Islam (retd), while speaking on the occasion, said the challenges could be turned into opportunities.

He also underscored the need for devising effective policies and ensuring their implementation with a view to turning these challenges into opportunities.