IMCTC not set up to counter any country or sect: Raheel Sharif

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s former army chief and Commander of the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) General (R) Raheel Sharif Wednesday denied the impression that the 41-nation Saudi-led coalition was established to counter a specific country or sect.

According to a statement issued by the Senate Secretariat, Raheel Sharif made these remarks during the visit of a Senate delegation led by Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani to the IMCTC headquarters in the Saudi Arabian capital, Riyadh.

The Senate delegation was welcomed to the IMCTC headquarters by Raheel Sharif, the coalition's commander, and General Abdul Rehman, the deputy commander. During the visit, the former army chief briefed the Senate delegation about the performance and aims and objectives of the military alliance.

"The Islamic military coalition was not formed to take action against any country, nation or sect," Raheel Sharif was quoted as saying during the briefing to the delegation. He added the primary objective of this institution was to counter terrorism and eliminate it.

The senators during the meeting lauded the resolve and efforts of the Saudi king and government to end terrorism. The delegation headed by the Senate chairman includes senators Ahmed Khan, Mirza Muhammad Afridi, Naseebullah Bazai, Fida Muhammad Khan, Talha Mehmood, Dilawar Khan, Khanzada Khan, Ghous Muhammad Khan Niazi and Additional Secretary Senate Hafeezullah Sheikh.

Later, the Senate chairman visited MISK Foundation along with the members of his delegation. Head of MISK Foundation Badaruddin Qaheel welcomed the Senate chairman and briefed the delegation about the roles and functions of the foundation.

It was told that the foundation was founded by Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman and the rationale is to prepare the young Saudi population to deal with the challenges of the future. The foundation offers training to the youth in the areas of education, culture and media.