Pakistan 'Will Continue To Support Kashmiris', Says Army Chief Bajwa

Days after the BRICS declaration condemning Pakistan-based terror groups, the country's army chief Qamar Bajwa said Pakistan would "continue to extend political, moral, and diplomatic support for Kashmiris' right to self-determination", reported Pakistani media.

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Bajwa said, on the one hand, that "Kashmir does not need interference from Pakistan", and then on the other hand, that Pakistan would continue to support the people of the northern Indian state.

His comments came days after India issued a demarche to Pakistan over the infiltration of a group of Pakistan-based terrorists from the Jaish-e-Muhammed who killed eight security personnel in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district last month. The Jaish-e-Muhammed was one of the terror groups the BRICS countries named.

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Still, Bajwa said Pakistan will continue to support Kashmir.

"India should realise that the peaceful struggle of hundreds of thousands of youth in Kashmir does not need interference from Pakistan or Azad Jammu and Kashmir. It is in India's favour that they prioritise political and diplomatic solutions for sustainable resolution of the Kashmir issue instead of insulting Pakistan and using force against Kashmiris," said Bajwa, in an address on Pakistan's Defence Day.

The Pakistan army chief then said, referring to India, that "a neighbouring country...is high on power". He also blamed India for going nuclear.

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"Pakistan is a responsible nation. We did not bring nuclear weapons to South Asia. And even now these weapons are simply a guarantee of peace in answer to a neighbouring country which is high on power. It is this country which has brought unconventional war to the South Asian region," said Bajwa.

His tirade came two days after BRICS countries, in a first, named and shamed Pakistan-based terror groups in a 'declaration' at their annual summit. Pakistan has lately been at the receiving end of global condemnation. The BRICS declaration came after the US last month castigated Islamabad for providing "safe haven to agents of chaos, violence, and terror."

The Pakistan army chief criticised the US, without naming it, for saying Pakistan isn't doing enough to fight terrorism. Pakistan, he said, has done more than any country in the fight against terrorism.

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"Despite all our efforts, our countless sacrifice and over decades of war, we are being told that we have not done enough against terrorism. If Pakistan has not done enough in this war, then no country in the world has done anything," said Bajwa.

"The world", he said needs to do more on terror.

"We don't want aid, we want your respect and confidence," said Bajwa in a clear reference to US President Donald Trump's statement last month that the US had given "billions and billions of dollars" in aid to Pakistan.

Trump had threatened to cut off that aid.

"We have been paying Pakistan billions and billions of dollars, at the same time, they are housing the very terrorists we are fighting ... that must change immediately," Trump added.