Khawaja Muhammad Asif is on a visit to Moscow, Russia in order to attend two-day VI Moscow conference on International Security. Other high level officials are also accompanying the Minister. He delivered the speech during the opening ceremony of the conference. Defence Ministers of Iran, Brazil and India have also spoke on the occasion.
Kh Asif said, "We expect the Afghan government to take more effective measures against the perpetrators responsible for various terror activities in Pakistan." He underlined that presence of terrorist networks on the Afghan border had been cleared during special operations carried out by Islamabad. Ongoing operations by Pakistan had been "extremely successful," which had been acknowledged by the international community, he added.
"I would like to share that our military operations currently include comprehensive economic uplift strategy in disturbed areas... We are consolidating our gains under the comprehensive National Action Plan," the Defence Minister noted. Kh Asif also stressed that Islamabad remained committed to playing a role in achieving peace and stability in Afghanistan and fully supported the Afghan-led peace process.
The two countries share a long porous border which is regularly crossed by militants that carry out attacks in both countries. Islamabad and Kabul accuse each other of harbouring the militants and Pakistan often repeats calls on Kabul to secure the border and take firm action against cross-border incidents. In February, Pakistan blamed Afghanistan for failing to crack down on militants that plotted a string of suicide attacks in Pakistan that killed scores of people.
He thanked the defence ministry of Russian Federation for hosting 6th Moscow security conference. Federal Minister said that 21st century was an era of multiple power centers, renewed economic interdependencies and realignment of politicio-strategic alliances.
He stressed on the importance of conference to manage shared challenges including terrorism, socio economic in equality, climate change, and demography as well as the ongoing conflicts going on in Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Afghanistan and North Africa. Federal Minister also mentioned that Kashmir issue is a strategic flash point in south Asia and if left unresolved, it has potential to threaten stability and peace of the entire region.