Says Pakistan playing leading role in UN peace keeping; Over 157 peace keepers laid down lives; appreciates Pak Diaspora for valuable contributions

TAXILA, FEB 17 (DNA) -Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Zubair Mahmood Hayat said on Sunday that Pakistan’s credentials as a peaceful country have improved a lot that is why number of tourists visiting this great country has multiplied.

Pakistan has been playing a leading role in regional and international peace. Pakistan has contributed to 43 UN missions in 26 different countries in all over 1, 72,000 peace keeping troops including 400 women have served as peace keeper across the globe.

The CJCSC was speaking as chief guest on the occasion of Orange Festival, held at the Zaildar House, Taxila.

A large number of diplomats and defence attaches from various countries attended the Festival. Horse dance and stone lifting events turned out to be the hallmark of the Orange Festival.

Gen Zubair said 157 Pakistan peace keepers including 24 officers have laid down their lives for global and regional peace.

Pakistan had condemned terrorism in all its forms not only within Pakistan but in region and beyond. War on our Western borders has hit us for last 17 years.

“We are proud of our progress agriculture base and all major crops of Pakistan have witnessed phenomenal rise in the yields. For example wheat production is up by 628 per cent – a country of 30 million people in 1947 was deficient in wheat today a country of 220 million is producing surplus wheat”.

He said production of rice and sugarcane has also witnessed huge increase. Cotton yield is yet another area where Pakistan agriculture sector has shown tremendous growth.

Gen Zubair said Pakistan happens to be 5^th largest dairy producer in the world and is increasing its exports both in milk and beef. He said agriculture share in GDP currently stands at 18 per cent which can easily be increased to 38 per cent of GDP and we are on the path to do it.

Gen Zubair further said Pakistan had suffered economic losses in excess of 123 billion US dollars direct and 500 billion dollars indirect since 2001.

Gen Zubair said Pakistan armed forces have fought valiantly against extremists and terrorists. As part of the National Action Plan (NAP) Pakistan armed forces have conducted successful operations Zarb-e-Azb and Rad-ul-Fasad.

These operations have successfully targeted the terrorists and their hideouts.

“We need to closely cooperate with each other to help humanity in general and put up joint struggle against these threats in the region and beyond and it is in that backdrop that we want to have close cooperation with Bosnia and Herzegovina”, Gen Zubair said.

The chairman joints chiefs further said Pakistani Diaspora abroad has been contributing greatly to Pakistan’s development. They are really making us proud.

Pakistan he said is gifted with best tourist resorts. Tourism is making healthy gains in Pakistan and improved security situation has increased flow of tourists.

He also talked about the recently announced visa policy and hoped this would further encourage foreign tourists to come to Pakistan. .=DNA

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