Pakistan’s goal is peace and stability in the region, security officials briefed

ISLAMABAD: Security sources say that Pakistan has always made peace, stability and de-escalation of tensions its top priority in recent regional diplomatic developments. Senior security officials, while briefing journalists, said that Pakistan’s stance has always been to promote dialogue and diplomacy instead of conflicts in the region.

According to sources, Pakistan played its role in peace efforts through contacts with various regional and international partners. Officials said that sometimes the biggest success is when tensions are reduced without confrontation and the parties are brought to the negotiating table.

He said that Pakistan believes in practical diplomacy instead of headlines or political propaganda. According to him, several countries including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates have also played a positive role in promoting peace in the region.

Security officials clarified that Pakistan has different types of relations with different countries, and Islamabad is pursuing a balanced foreign policy for regional stability.

Figures related to counter-terrorism operations were also released during the briefing. According to sources, 32,092 intelligence-based operations were conducted across the country till June 15 this year. In these operations, 1,861 terrorists were killed while 640 people including security forces, law enforcement agencies and civilians were martyred.

According to the data, 64 percent of the 2,170 terrorist incidents occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 34 percent in Balochistan. Officials said that technology, intelligence and timely action have assumed fundamental importance in modern warfare.

Sources said that 862 terrorists were killed in Afghanistan and 999 inside Pakistan during the ongoing counter-terrorism operations. Officials reiterated their resolve that the operations will continue until the complete eradication of terrorism.

Talking about the situation in Azad Kashmir, security sources said that state institutions always prefer political and legal channels to resolve issues. According to them, the main objective of the state is to protect public interests and maintain law and order.

In a briefing on defense spending, it was said that the increase in the defense budget is mainly for mandatory and operational needs, while limited resources are available for development projects. According to officials, defense preparedness and national security are among the important priorities in the context of the security situation in the region.