Ashraf Ansari
Islamabad
Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, General Zubair Mahmood Hayat has warned India that if it dared to indulge in any military misadventure, it would receive even more robust response from Pakistan while he recalled the recent Balakot event.
He was addressing a seminar here Tuesday organised by a strategic think tank CASS, Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies.
General Hayat broght into focus fascist policies being currently pursued in India to advance BJP’sHindutva based hegemonic agenda. He said India has crossed all limits of atrocities in Occupied Kashmir but it would never succeed in suppressing the resolve of the Kashmiris for liberation from the Indian occupation. The international community, World ‘s mainstream media as well as prominent sane voices in India itself are on the side of the oppressed people of Kashmir. Pakistan on its part would continue supporting Kashmiri people in their struggle for exercise of their right to self determination. The general candidly analysed the security situation in South Asia saying that Indian fascist mindset and it hegemonic thinking have created serious security concerns in South Asia. He noted that India was amassing lethal weapons and its military budget had soared to a new high. However Pakistan was not intending to go for any arms race with India. “Pakistan is determined to maintain credible minimum nuclear deterrence”, he said saying Pakistan is fully capable of safeguarding its security.
Addressing the seminar, a former PAF chief, Air Chief Marshal (Retd) Kaleem Saadat said, Pakistan needs to fully utilise its potential in terms of natural and human resources, noting that there has been tragic neglect on part of successive Governments of the past in this respect. He observed that Pakistan in the past mostly lacked good governance which was prerequisite for full utilisation of country ‘s potential.
Advisor to the Prime Minister, Dr. Ishrat Hussain in his presentation highlighted global and regional threats in various dimensions. He said, a new global scenario has emerged marked by antimigration policies of the West, especially the United States. Technological revolution spearheaded by advanced countries has posed formidable challenge to the developing countries. He said developing countries like Pakistan must focus on making all out efforts to move towards progress in the fields of science, technology and common use skills. There was urgent need to address the challenge of climate change. He also called for addressing economic disparities in the country.
Former Foreign Secretary, Riaz Hussain Khokhar in his elucidating presentation touched on various security related issues of foreign policy. He said, Pakistan ‘s strategic location entitled the country to play a very vital role in world affairs. The other speakers at the seminar were Air Marshal (Retd) M. Ashfaque Arain, AVM (Retd) Shahzad Chaudhry, Abid Qaiyum Suleri, Dr Umar Saif and Dr. Usman Chohan.
