<\/p>\n
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir interacted with US think thanks and said Pakistan wished to develop itself as a hub of connectivity and \u201ceschews bloc politics\u201d, the military\u2019s media affairs wing said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the army chief engaged in a \u201ccandid discourse\u201d with members of prominent US think tanks and media. He was received by the Ambassador of Pakistan to the US.<\/p>\n
During the interaction, he put across Pakistan\u2019s perspective on
\nregional security, transnational terrorism and the importance of
\nmaintaining strategic stability in South Asia.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe COAS said Pakistan is a country of consequence both from
\ngeopolitical and geoeconomic perspectives and wishes to develop itself
\nas a hub of connectivity and a gateway to Central Asia and beyond,\u201d the ISPR said.<\/p>\n
However, the country \u201ceschews bloc politics\u201d and believed in maintaining \u201cbalanced relationships\u201d with all friendly countries, Gen Munir was quoted as saying.<\/p>\n
He further highlighted that Pakistan desired to broaden bilateral engagement
\nwith the US through a long-term and multi-domain partnership. The army chief recalled that his interactions during the visit to the US with political and military leadership were \u201cvery positive and forward-looking for further strengthening the relationship\u201d, the ISPR said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe COAS also highlighted that Pakistan has stood as a bulwark against
\ntransnational terrorism for decades to ensure regional stability
\nand global peace and security. It has made unparalleled contributions and sacrifices in its enduring fight against terrorism and will continue to fight till the logical end, in line with the aspirations of the people of Pakistan,\u201d it added.<\/p>\n
The COAS also stressed the need for resolution of the Kashmir issue as
\nper the aspirations of the people of Kashmir and the United Nations resolutions.<\/p>\n
\u201cKashmir is an internationally accepted dispute and no
\nunilateral action can alter the nature of this dispute against the
\nwishes of millions of people in the area,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Further, the army highlighted the immediate need for ending sufferings in Gaza, provision of humanitarian assistance and implementation of the two-state resolution, the ISPR added.<\/p>\n
The army chief landed<\/a> in Washington last week on his first official visit to the US. Last week, Gen Munir met key government officials<\/a> including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defence (retired) General Llyod J. Austin, Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland, Deputy National Security Adviser Jonathan Finer and Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff General Charles Q. Brown.<\/p>\n The COAS also held a meeting<\/a> with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday. A day earlier, he visited<\/a> the headquarters of the US Central Command (Centcom) in Tampa, Florida, and met with the commander, Gen Michael Erik Kurilla.<\/p>\n