ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Advisor to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has informed the Senate that former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General (retd) Raheel Sharif is presently performing advisory role in Riyadh-based Military alliance, and not heading any troops.
Responding to a motion move in the Upper House on Tuesday regarding Terms of References (TORs) of the Saudi-led Military alliance and its impact on Pakistan, the advisor said that the 41-member Islamic military counter terrorism alliance has not yet been finalized.
Sartaj Aziz said that its TORs will be finalized through a consultative mechanism of the member countries at the Defence Ministers level. He said that as soon as the TORs will be finalized and received these will be placed before the Parliament.
While responding another motion moved by about 30 Senators about the implications of the statement of Chairman US armed services committee in Kabul soon after his visit to Pakistan, the adviser said that the US Senator John McCain led a five-member delegation during his visit to Pakistan early this month, and he held meetings with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa.
The advisor said that the visiting delegation was briefed about Pakistan’s initiative for the elimination of terrorism from the Country and making Pak-Afghan border more secure.
Sartaj Aziz said that the delegation was impressed by the steps taken by Pakistan against the terrorists and the members also lauded Pakistan’s contribution for elimination of terrorism from the region.
Sartaj said that when the delegation visited Afghanistan then they were briefed by the Afghan authorities about their reservations.
The foreign affairs advisor said the statement made by the Chairman US armed services committee was in response to the briefing by Afghanistan.
Moreover, he said that Pakistan is taking indiscriminate action against all groups of terrorists in the best national interest.
