KARACHI: The Pakistan Army said on Wednesday that it was the decision of the state to allow former army chief Gen Raheel Sharif to lead the 39-nation military alliance.

Chief military spokesman Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor told reporters in London that Pakistan wanted good relations with both Saudi Arabia and Iran.

“Pakistan doesn’t believe in proxy wars neither does it want any tension in the region. We want good relations with all neighbours including Afghanistan and India,” he said, according to Geo News.

Maj Gen Ghafoor, the director general of the Inter-Services Public Relations, was accompanying Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa who was on a three-day official trip to the United Kingdom.

The army’s stance on its former chief’s new assignment came a day after the Fore­ign Office reaffirmed the government’s commitment to maintaining balance in relations with Tehran and Riyadh despite joining the Saudi-led military alliance.

He said Raddul Fasaad was in full swing and comprehensive work to bring madressah reforms was also under way.

Published in Dawn, April 6th, 2017