ISLAMABAD: Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa has said that Pakistan is fully committed to peace and stability both in the country and the region.

He was addressing participants of the National Security and War Course at National Defence University here on Thursday.

According to a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations, the speech was focused on internal and external challenges facing Pakistan.

Talking about regional peace and development, the COAS said that all stakeholders needed to get out of conflict paradigm as only cooperative framework could unlock the true potentials of the region.

For this, he said, Pakistan had done its part in tackling security challenges which seemed insurmountable a few years ago.

Referring to internal challenges, he said: “We have to strive for a Pakistan where the rule of law is supreme and where we have the same attitude towards duties as we have towards rights.”

He reiterated that a coordinated and committed national approach is effective response to all challenges. Pakistan belongs to all Pakistanis regardless of beliefs or opinions, he remarked.

Talking about hybrid war, Gen Bajwa said it’s the national will which was targeted in such a war.

“For effective counter and response to hybrid war there is a need that national issues having impact on our national security like economy, education, water security, national integration, etc, must take precedence through relevant national institutions,” he concluded.

Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2018