General Bajwa’s Successful Diplomacy With SA, UAE, Iran

General Headquarters (GHQ) unanimously supported General (retd) Raheel Sharif’s joining the military alliance of 39 Muslim countries as its chief after incumbent Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa had direct interaction with Saudi Arabia, UAE and Iran on the issue, Lt Gen (retd) Amjad Shoaib told The News.

Referring to his recent exchanges with the military leadership, Lt Gen (retd) Shoaib said that Iran has been assured even by the GHQ that there is no truth in the propaganda that the military alliance would be used against Iran.

“It (the alliance) will neither be used against Iran nor has any connection with Yemen,” Shoaib said on behalf of his military connections. The retired general is a well-known defence analyst.

Shoaib disclosed that the recent lit up of Dubai’s Burj Al-Khalifa with the green and white colours of the pattern of Pakistan’s flag was the consequence of the army chief’s successful meetings with UAE rulers. The army chief, he said, was informed on 22nd March about this event by Dubai on 23rd March. On 23rd March, the DG ISPR in a tweet message said, “Pakistan and UAE share strong and cultural ties,” and thanked the UAE government and said that Dubai-based Pakistanis felt Dubai their home.

“Thanks to @BurjKhalifa, UAE authorities & people of UAE for adding colours to our #PakDay celebrations,” said the ISPR message. General (retd) Shoaib said the army chief’s visits to Saudi Arabia and UAE were also of great help to remove some recent past misunderstandings.

Regarding Iran, the defence analyst who is generally considered close to military and defends establishment in TV talk shows, said the Iranian ambassador during his recent meeting with the army chief was told that Pakistan would never be part of any anti-Iran military alliance.

Shoaib said Iran was told that Tehran’s closeness with Pakistan’s enemy India and the agreement between the two countries on Chabahar have not been considered by Islamabad as anti-Pakistan because of close relations between Pakistan and Iran.

On similar lines, Shoaib said, the Iranian envoy was told that Tehran should have trust on Pakistan, which could never be part of any anti-Iran alliance. Instead, it was said that Pakistan would help defuse tension between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Ambassador of Iran Mehdi Honardoost early this month called on the Gen Bajwa to discuss “matters of regional security and mutual interest”. An ISPR press release said that Ambassador Honardoost acknowledged and appreciated Pakistan Army’s contributions to regional peace and stability and expressed his appreciation for Operation Raddul Fasaad.

While thanking the ambassador, Gen Bajwa said Pakistan Army “greatly values the historical relationship between the two brotherly countries which can never be compromised on any cost”. He also said that enhanced military-to-military cooperation between the two countries would have a positive impact on regional peace and stability.

Lt Gen ® Shoaib said that the decision of Pakistan joining the 39 countries military alliance and allowing General ® Raheel Sharif to lead it is not only in the best interest of Pakistan but also for Muslims all over the world. He explained that the main objective of the alliance is to target ISIS.

(Published in Monthly Tribute International on 01-04-2017)