ISLAMABAD, March 12: A meeting of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC) was held in Rawalpindi on Tuesday which discussed border situation and expressed satisfaction with the state of preparedness of the Pakistani troops to meet any external challenge.

According to informed sources, Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Mohammad Aziz Khan, who presided over the meeting, said that Pakistan wanted peace with all its neighbours and was trying to have good relations with them, specially India.

However, Gen Aziz made it clear that the armed forces were fully capable of taking on the enemy if any misadventure was carried out in any sector. He said if India was not willing to de-escalate and continued to refuse to withdraw its troops from borders, Pakistan would not be unilaterally pulling its troops and they could stay there for an indefinite period.

The sources said the meeting, which discussed in detail matters pertaining to defence and national security, was of the view that Pakistan had taken enough measures to defuse the situation in the region and now it was for the Indians to respond to avoid further deterioration in relations between the two countries.

The sources said that Pakistan had once again taken into confidence the United

States, European Union, China, Russia, Japan and other important countries through their missions in Islamabad about the latest situation obtaining in the region.

There had been some unofficial de-escalation on both sides which was evident from the fact that married officers on border had been allowed by the General Headquarters, Rawalpindi, to visit their families on Eid.

Similarly, Indian officers also spent some time recently with their families due to what was termed “relatively relaxed situation on the borders”.

The sources said the meeting was briefed by the senior officers of security agencies about the situation on borders.

The meeting was also told that the government had taken appropriate security measures to maintain law and order during the month of Muharram.

“Police and other paramilitary forces have been entrusted the task of ensuring law and order during Muharram,” an official told Dawn.

He said that big cities like Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Rawalpindi will have the increased presence of police and other concerned personnel specially till 10th of Muharram.

The meeting was attended by all the three services chiefs and senior armed forces and civil officers.