ISLAMABAD, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan army said on Thursday that national security is directly linked to democracy and political stability in the country as it drives everything including the economy.
"It is the duty of everyone to strengthen democracy and the strength of our democracy is our national institutions. Be it the country's Parliament, the Supreme Court or the armed forces ... Pakistan's sustenance relies on democracy, and to strengthen it is everyone's duty," Major General Babar Iftikhar, director general of the army's media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations said.
"There will never be another martial law in Pakistan as democracy is the only way forward for the country," Iftikhar told a press conference in Rawalpindi.
Answering a query about former Prime Minister Imran Khan's statement about providing military bases to the United States, Iftikhar said no such demand had been made on any level.
"However, the army would have the same stance of 'absolutely not' as the former prime minister had in case the military bases were asked for," he added.
Speaking about the country's security situation, he said the armed forces continued playing their role in creating an enabling environment for Pakistan by rendering countless sacrifices.
"During the first three months of 2022, a total of 97 soldiers lost their lives in various operations carried out across the country. Meanwhile, 128 terrorists were killed and 270 have been arrested during the operations against them," the military official said, adding that the war against terrorism will continue until the last terrorist is eliminated.
Commenting on the security of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Iftikhar said CPEC is important for Pakistan's development and the Pakistan army is the security guarantor of CPEC projects.
"CPEC is a great manifestation of the trusted friendship between Pakistan and China," he said, adding that the pace of CPEC projects is being accelerated, and no hostile foreign country would be allowed to disrupt the mega project of great economic value.
Launched in 2013, CPEC is a corridor linking the Gwadar port in southwestern Pakistan with Kashgar in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which highlights energy, transport and industrial cooperation. ■