We all need to fulfill our responsibilities: Gen Bajwa

ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Friday said we are going through ‘difficult economic situation due to fiscal mismanagement’ and ‘it’s time to be a nation’.

This, he said, at a seminar on “Pakistan’s Economy: Challenges and Way forward” organised by Institute of Strategic Studies, Research and Analysis (ISSRA) at National Defence University (NDU).

General Bajwa endorsed undeniable linkage between security and economy as both directly complement each other.

The army chief said that there cannot be any sovereignty in the absence of economic sovereignty. He highlighted Pakistan’s efforts for restoring regional peace that will lead to better trade connectivity.

Talking about regional connectivity, the COAS reiterated his vision that countries cannot develop individually, it’s region which develops. "For our region to develop we need to have greater regional connectivity amongst all neighbors," he added.

On current economic situation the COAS said, “We are going through difficult economic situation due to fiscal mismanagement. We have been shying of taking difficult decisions.”

“Armed Forces played their part by voluntarily foregoing annual increase in defence budget and this is not the only step we are taking for improvement of economy.

“We understand that government has gone for difficult but quintessential decisions for long term benefits and what we are doing is playing our part.

“We all need to fulfill our responsibilities in this regard so that these difficult initiatives succeed. There are examples in recent past when other countries also confronted similar challenges and they came out successfully after taking difficult decisions. We shall also IA wade through these challenges”.

“In difficult times no individual alone can succeed unless nation comes together unitedly. ‘It’s time to be a nation," Gen Bajwa concluded.

The COAS thanked the NDU for organising the event and said that such types of interactions are important to enable both government and other stakeholders in exchanging their views on issues of national importance.