RAWALPINDI: United States Central Command (US CENTCOM) Commander General Joseph L Votel visited Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, at GHQ on Monday.
The generals discussed matters of mutual professional interest with special focus on the security situation in Afghanistan.
The COAS highlighted the importance Pakistan accords to its relations with the US, particularly cooperation in counter-terrorism and regional stability. He said that Pakistan supported and looked forward to an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process.
With reference to recent terrorist incidents in Afghanistan and the follow up rhetoric from certain factions implicating Pakistan, COAS said that the blame game was detrimental to the endurance ofpeace and stability.
The COAS also highlighted that Pakistan had undertaken operations against terrorists of all hue and colour and there were no safe havens inside Pakistan to be used against Afghanistan.
He expressed his commitment to working in close coordination with Afghanistan and the US led Resolute Support Mission (RSM) for improved security environment in the Pak–Afghan border region. In this regard he emphasised the need for Pak-Afghan bilateral border security and intelligence sharing mechanisms.
The visiting official acknowledged and appreciated the Pakistan Army’s successes in the fight against terrorism and their continued efforts for bringing peace and stability in the region. The general emphasised the need for continued and meaningful engagement between all stakeholders involved in the peace and stability of Afghanistan. He supported the views of the COAS on inclusive reconciliation in Afghanistan through an Afghan owned and Afghan led process.
Earlier on arrival at GHQ, a smartly turned out contingent of the Pakistan Army presented a guard of honour to the visiting dignitary. General Votel also laid a floral wreath at the Yadgar-e- Shuhada to pay homage to martyrs. A dinner was also hosted by the COAS in honour of the CENTCOM commander later in the evening.
