Islamabad wants better relations with India, Afghanistan: Senior Pak army official

The Director General of Pakistan Army's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor has said that his country hopes for better relations with India and Afghanistan.

"Pakistan does not want to create tensions in the region and does not believe in proxy wars," the Dawn quoted Major General Ghafoor, as saying.

He made these remarks while addressing a press conference in London during Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa's visit to the United Kingdom.

The senior army official also said that the appointment of former Army Chief General Raheel Sharif as head of the Saudi-led 39-nation Islamic military alliance is a decision of the state.

He also said that the Pakistan wishes for better relationship with Iran and Saudi Arabia.

The Pakistan Government has given its approval to former chief of army staff general (Retd) Raheel Sharif to lead a 39-nation alliance of Muslim states led by Saudi Arabia by providing him with a No-Objection Certificate (NOC).

In 2015, Saudi Arabia had announced the formation of a 34-state Islamic military coalition to combat terrorism and Pakistan was made a member of the coalition.

Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua on Tuesday said that Islamabad remains committed to its policy of non-interference in the conflicts of Muslim countries.

She gave the assurance during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs which discussed the issue of clearance given to former army chief retired General Raheel Sharif to lead the Saudi-led 39-nation Islamic military alliance and Pakistan's relations with Saudi Arabia and Iran.

"The Islamic [military] alliance is against terrorism, not any [specific] country," Janjua said in response to a question by committee chairman Awais Leghari.

Earlier, Iranian Ambassador Mehdi Honardoost had expressed concerns about Pakistan Government's approval to former army chief General Raheel Sharif to lead a 39-nation military alliance put together by Saudi Arabia.