TAXILA, July 12: President Gen Pervaiz Musharraf has said that Pakistan is a peace-loving country and has no aggressive designs against any state.

He said the country’s entire defence shield “is for peace and to live with honour and dignity among the international community.”

He expressed these views while addressing the Pakistan Ordnance Factory board members, officers and engineers at Wah Cantonment auditorium on Saturday.

He said Pakistan would never compromise on its honour and dignity.

The president said strong defence was the corner-stone of national security and Pakistan was fully capable of frustrating any evil designs of the enemy.

He said Pakistan did not want war but peaceful resolution of all disputes, including Kashmir.

The president said ultimate peace could be achieved through the resolution of disputes “but before that we have to adhere to a strategy of minimum deterrence.”

The president said Pakistan “has no threats from outside as the country is powerful enough to defend itself, but the threat is from within Pakistan.” In this connection, he referred to the terrorist strike in Quetta and an explosion in Karachi, and said this was the work of the vested interests.

Discussing the role and contribution of the POF in the country’s defence, he said the POF was playing a pivotal role in meeting the demands of its armed forces. He termed the POF a life-line of the defence forces.

He praised the engineers and workers for effectively meeting the demands of the country’s forces.

He said an international standard certification had enhanced the POF’s credibility in the defence market, with the result it was getting orders for the delivery of arms and ammunition from even the technologically-advanced countries of the world.