ISPR discusses security, civil-military relations and regional policy in wide-ranging press conference

The director general of the Inter-Services Public Relations, Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor, on Thursday conducted a wide-ranging press briefing at the army's General Headquarters in Rawalpindi to discuss several key issues, including relations with Afghanistan, India and the US, internal security and civil-military relations.

The press conference followed a visit to Kabul by Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa on Sunday and Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif's meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on matters of mutual concern on Wednesday.

During the briefing, Maj Gen Ghafoor discussed the security threats at Pakistan's eastern and western borders, stressing that the important question was "whether the threat is because of a state or non-state actors" and what the country's response to it has been.

"Pakistan is an indispensable reality," he asserted. "When multiple interests collide, it is natural that conflicts arise," he began.

"There has been war in Afghanistan for the past four decades. We fought with the jihadis against the Soviet Union. We have fought well, as a nation, the war that entered our borders after 9/11," he said, apparently underscoring a recent statement made by the foreign minister recalling the US's "wining and dining" of jihadi outfits during the Afghan-Soviet Union war.

"There are no organised bases of any terrorist organisation in the country anymore," Ghafoor stressed. "On the ground, more than 50 per cent of Afghan territory is out of their [Kabul's] control, which is also affecting Pakistan," he said, shifting the focus to the political instabilityafflicting Pakistan's western neighbour.

"There is a strategic threat that exists on the western front which forces us to keep our army at the borders, because of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and other such non-state actors."

"Our [western] border also meets Iran. It is important to mention that our deployment is not against Iran or Afghanistan, but against non-state actors," he explained.

"In the east, we have a border with India which is unsafe because of India's inappropriate actions," he said.

"The ceasefire violations in 2017 are considerably more in number than any other year before this, with 222 civilian casualties along the Line of Control. However, India has also paid a price due to our response [to attacks] and we will continue to do so [respond] if it does not act with restraint," he warned.

"Threats from India are perpetual. We are a peaceful country and we do not want war with them, but we will defend ourselves and have the capability to do so," he asserted.

Returning to relations with Iran, the DG ISPR said Pakistan had ongoing coordination and contact with Tehran.

"The army chief will soon visit Iran to improve relations," he said.