Pak expects Taliban to fulfil their promise of protecting women’s rights: Army chief Gen Bajwa

Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Friday expressed hope that the Taliban will fulfil their promise of protecting women’s rights and not allow Afghan soil to be used for militant activities against any other country.

The Taliban vowed on Tuesday to respect women's rights, forgive those who fought them and ensure Afghanistan does not become a haven for terrorists. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid at a news conference promised the Taliban would honour women’s rights within the norms of Islamic law, without elaborating.

“We expect that Taliban will fulfil promises to the global community about women and human rights and Afghan territory won’t be used against any other country,” General Bajwa during his visit to Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) Kakul.

“We have unambiguously and repeatedly asked the global community to play its part in an inclusive and unbiased Afghan process as well as economic sustenance of Afghanistan,” he said in his address to the faculty and cadets at PMA.

General Bajwa said Pakistan paid a huge price for instability in Afghanistan and despite its own economic challenges, Islamabad has hosted over 3 million Afghan refugees for more than 4 decades. “Pakistan will continue to play its role for peace and stability in Afghanistan,” he said.

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Referring to the collective freedom struggle against British rule, Bajwa said the people of the sub-continent must not forget that the ultimate goal was to secure an independent, harmonious and prosperous region wherein all newly created countries could live peacefully.

He said August is the month of freedom and reminds of the unprecedented struggle and sacrifices of “our forefathers and oath to defend Pakistan’s sovereignty”.

“After independence, we not only withstood socio-economic and other challenges, but also defeated terrorism and defended the motherland,” he said.

Pakistan wants peace and progress in the country and the region, he said, adding that regional peace will remain elusive without a just and peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue.