Pakistan paid heavy toll for 'imposed' war: PM Khan

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan

Pakistan fought an imposed war, and paid a steep price, but will not get involved in more such wars in the future, the country's prime minister said on Monday.

Imran Khan was referring the U.S. war against terrorism in neighboring Afghanistan, where his country was a main ally of Washington.

Addressing tribal elders in North Waziristan, a northwestern tribal district near Pakistan's Afghan border, Khan said that Pakistan and its armed forces have made more sacrifices than any other country in the war on terrorism.

"We have fought an imposed war inside our country, as our war took a very heavy toll in blood and sweat, and we lost our socioeconomic fabric. We shall not fight another war like this again inside Pakistan," he pledged.

However, Khan assured that his country will play its role in the Afghan peace process along with other stakeholders, as peace in Afghanistan is critical for achieving enduring peace in Pakistan.

On his visit to North Waziristan -- his first since taking office this August -- Khan was accompanied by Pakistan’s army chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Shah Farman, and its Chief Minister Mehmood Khan.

He also announced various welfare packages for tribal districts, including the establishment of a university and army cadet college and the enrollment of tribal youth in law enforcement agencies.

Earlier, Khan also visited the Afghan frontier and saw the border fencing.

North Waziristan is one of seven tribal districts that recently merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, formerly a stronghold of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a consortium of several militants groups in the country before the launch of a full-scale military onslaught in 2014.

Pakistan's army claims that over 95 percent of the area has been cleared of militants.

According to the Pakistani army, almost 3,000 militants were killed in the 2014-2016 operation, which also left more than 200 troops dead.