QUETTA, April 2: President General Pervez Musharraf has said that Pakistan’s strategy of defensive deterrence is in place, adding that the country has achieved all goals in the unconventional filed while efforts are afoot to address imbalances in the conventional field.

The president was addressing a ceremony held here at the Command and Staff College to mark centenary celebrations of the institution. He unveiled the centenary tower as a monument of the celebrations.

Himself a graduate of the collage, Gen Musharraf lauded the efforts put in by its founding fathers and all those who followed suit to make the institution an excellent seat of military education around the world.

Dilating on the prevailing geo-political environment, the president gave his view how Pakistan and its armed forces were facing the challenges and performing for the future.

He said Pakistan was far better placed today, both politically and diplomatically. Economy was growing and its benefits were now to be transferred to the masses, he said and added that poverty alleviation, job creation and controlling of price-hike were the issues that would be attended to.

He said while people in the agriculture and industrial sectors had benefited from the economic growth, the salaried class had been suffering from the price-hike.

President Musharraf dispelled the impression that army was involved in politics. “Army is in the barracks and have no role in politics,” he said and added that the prime minister and his cabinet took decisions for running the affairs of the country.

He said as far as the country’s integrity was concerned he would not compromise on it and would take all steps to protect it.

The centenary celebration was attended around 1,000 guests from home and abroad. Largest contingents came from the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia, both headed by serving lieutenant-generals.

Chairman Joint Chiefs of Committee, General Ehsanul Haq, Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Kaleem Saadat, Vice Chief of Army Staff, General Ahsan Saleem Hayat, and governors of Balochistan and Punjab were also present on the occasion.

Commandant Command and Staff Collage Maj-Gen Mohsin Kamal presented the welcome address.