Peace in Afghanistan a collective responsibility: CJCSC

RAWALPINDI: Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Nadeem Raza said that peace in Afghanistan is a collective responsibility and the complete region will be its biggest beneficiary.

The CJCSC, who visited Russia to witness ‘Exercise Peace Mission-2021,’ held meetings with military leaders of China and the host country on the sidelines of the exercise. The ‘Exercise Peace Mission-2021’ under the ambit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) concluded at Donguz training area, Orenburg Region, Russia. Troops from all SCO member states participated in the exercises and shared each other’s experiences.

“On the sidelines, chairman JCSC also had bilateral engagements with General Valery V. Gerasimov, Chief of General Staff, Russian Federation and General Li Zuocheng, Chief of Joint Staff, PLA China.,” the ISPR in a statement said.

Chairman JCSC said that Pakistan attaches great importance to furthering bilateral defence cooperation with Russia and China and believes that these countries would develop meaningful and long-term strategic relationships through enhanced cooperation.

Pakistan and China already have strong military to military relations. The defence relations between Pakistan and Russia have also been on the right track in recent years as the two countries held first ever military exercise in 2016 and since then it is regular annual feature involving special forces.

Chairman JCSC also attended a meeting of the Chiefs of General Staff of the Armed Forces of SCO member states where the forum discussed the international and regional geo-political environment with emphasis on the Afghanistan situation. Activities of transnational terrorist organisations in various regions of the world were also discussed.

Chairman JCSC, while addressing the forum, stated that Pakistan will continue to work with SCO to advance the shared objectives of peace, progress and stability in the region, and beyond. He also highlighted the unparalleled contributions of Pakistan Armed Forces towards global peace and immense sacrifices in war against terrorism.