LAHORE, Oct 16: Pakistan army is among the best in the world but historic evidence proves that the wars are fought by the entire nation and not the military alone.

This was stated by Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi while talking to the participants in the National Defence College war course here at the Civil Secretariat on Thursday.

He said besides an army, the presence of a strong and developing economy was also indispensable for the national security.

Mr Elahi said the Pakistani institutions responsible for research and analysis must highlight the role of the country in the changing world scenario.

Close observation of the happenings around the world by the war course participants could play a vital role in the formulation of a national strategy, he said.

He said Pakistan on account of its geographic location, area, educational infrastructure in English, science, technology and computer and status of the sole Muslim nuclear power, had managed to achieve a paramount position with regard to world peace after the attack on America on September the 11th.

He said good governance had been given much importance in the administrative affairs of the province.

He said the government was aware of the dangers of the political victimization for the society and therefore had focussed all its energies on development programmes.

“We will not abandon the process of reforms because I believe all claims of development will prove false without changing the lives of people,” he said.

He said arrangements were being made to declare education compulsory in the province. For the purpose the government was providing free education up to matriculation and planning to give free books up to class five.

He said Kashmir dispute was more dangerous than the Palestine issue for world peace. The best approach against violence was to adress its root-causes and not just its symptoms.

National Defence College Commandant Javed Hasan thanked the chief minister for the reception.

Chief secretary Hafeez Akhtar Randhawa, P&D chairman, secretaries of home and finance departments elaborated different aspects of the province’s development strategy and law and order.