Time for Pakistan, India to bury the past & move forward: Army Chief Bajwa calls for peace

Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Thursday called for India to 'bury the past and move forward' as the peace between the two neighbours would help to 'unlock' the potential of South and Central Asia, he said. 

Addressing a session of the first-ever Islamabad Security Dialogue, General Bajwa also said that the potential for regional peace and development has remained hostage to the age-old disputes between the two 'nuclear-armed neighbours'. Bajwa, however, added that the burden to create a "conducive environment" is on India and noted the role played by the US in resolving the regional conflicts.

"We feel it is time to bury the past and move forward," he said, adding that the responsibility for a meaningful dialogue rested with India.

'India desires neighbourly ties with Pakistan'

Last month, India had said that it desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan in an environment free of terror, hostility and violence. India said the onus is on Pakistan to create an environment free of terror and hostility. Stating that 'talks and terror' cannot go together, New Delhi has Islamabad to take demonstrable steps against terror groups responsible for launching various attacks on India.

"Our neighbour will have to create a conducive environment, particularly in Kashmir. The Kashmir issue is at the heart of this. It is important to understand that without the resolution of the Kashmir dispute through peaceful means, the process will always remain susceptible to derailment to politically motivated bellicosity,” Bajwa said.

'India will be benefitted economically'

The Pakistani Army Chief’s remarks came a day after Prime Minister Imran Khan made a similar statement at the same venue. Khan opined that India will be benefitted economically by having peace with Pakistan as it will enable the neighbouring country to directly access the "resource-rich Central Asian region through Pakistani territory."

"India will have to take the first step. Unless they do so, we cannot do much," Khan said while delivering the inaugural address at the launch of the two-day Dialogue. 

Khan added that having a direct route to Central Asia which is rich in oil and gas, will economically benefit India. In the modern context, Central Asia generally includes five resource-rich countries -- Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.