ISLAMABAD: Pakistan military has admitted that its Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has connections to “militants”. It, however, added that this does not mean it supports terrorist organisations, while asserting that political wing of banned Jamaat-ud- Dawa, Milli Muslim League, is free to contest elections.
Major General Asif Ghafoor, director general, ISI Public Relations, while answering a question about US claims of links between the two entities, said, “There is a difference between support and having links. Name any intelligence agency which does not have links. Links can be positive, and the US defence secretary James Mattis did not say there was support. The narrative that I talked about is relevant here as well. We should not be a part of it. We have our own narrative.” Addressing a press conference in Rawalpindi, he said Pak's eastern border is unsafe due to India's “inappropriate reactions”.
He said 222 Pakistani civilians were killed along the line of control this year in ceasefire violations, more than any other year before. “But India has also paid a price with our response and we will continue to respond if it does not act with restraint. We are a peaceful country and we do not want war with them, but we will defend ourselves and have the capability to do so... War is not the solution, so we are talking to them at all levels to stop this,” he said.
Ghafoor said Pakistan was facing a strategic threat on the western border as well, forcing the country to keep the Army on the border. “Our western border also meets Iran. Our deployment is not against Iran or Afghanistan but against the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and other such non-state actors,” he said. When asked why a press release was not issued after special corps commanders conference at Army's General Headquarters (GHQ), he said, “Silence is also an expression.”
