Addressing US think-tanks, Army Chief says Islamabad eschews bloc politics n Says Pakistan always stood as a bulwark against transnational terrorism for decades for ensuring regional stability, global peace n Kashmir is an internationally accepted dispute and no unilateral action can alter nature of this dispute.

ISLAMABAD  -  Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Gen Syed Asim Munir has made it clear that Pakistan eschews bloc politics and believes in maintain­ing balanced relationships with all friendly countries.

The Army Chief is on an offi­cial visit to the United States and engaged in a candid discourse with members of prominent US think-tanks and the media, said the media wing of the military on Wednesday.

The COAS, during the interac­tion, put across Pakistan’s per­spective on regional security, transnational terrorism and im­portance of maintaining strategic stability in South Asia.

According to the ISPR, the Army Chief said that Pakistan is a coun­try of consequence both from geopolitical and geo-economic perspective and wishes to devel­op itself as a hub of connectivity and a gateway to Central Asia and beyond, however, eschews bloc politics and believes in maintain­ing balanced relationships with all friendly countries.

The COAS highlighted that Paki­stan desires to broaden bilateral engagement with the US through long-term multi-domain partner­ship. He highlighted that his inter­actions during the visit to the US with political and military lead­ership have been very positive and looking forward to further strengthening the relationship.

He also highlighted that Paki­stan has stood as a bulwark against transnational terror­ism for decades for ensuring regional stability and global peace and security. “It has made unparalleled contributions and sacrifices in its enduring fight against terrorism and will con­tinue to fight till logical end, in line with the aspirations of people of Pakistan,” the ISPR quoted the Army Chief as hav­ing said on the occasion.

The COAS, according to the ISPR, also stressed upon the need for resolution of the Kashmir issue as per the aspirations of the peo­ple of Kashmir and the UNSC Resolutions. He said, “Kashmir is an interna­tionally accepted dispute and no unilateral action can alter the nature of this dispute against the wishes of millions of people of the area.” The COAS also em­phatically highlighted the immediate need for end­ing the sufferings in Gaza, provision of humanitarian assistance and implemen­tation of two-state solu­tion for enduring peace in the region. Earlier on ar­rival, the COAS was re­ceived by the Ambassador of Pakistan to the US.