Overview
- Addressing a joint sitting on March 2, President Asif Ali Zardari said Pakistan will not allow any domestic or foreign actor to use a neighbor’s soil to destabilize its peace.
- Zardari credited the armed forces with disciplined replies to unprovoked attacks on both borders and said an Indian strike was turned into a tactical victory, noting a Feb. 26 assault on the western frontier by the Taliban.
- He anchored Pakistan’s current posture in international law by citing UN Charter Article 51 and described the country as a responsible nuclear state.
- A senior security official said Pakistan is pursuing a balanced approach toward Iran, claimed Tehran praised Pakistan’s response, and cited supportive signals from China and Russia.
- The official added that details of any Pakistani participation in an International Stabilization Force have not been finalized and will be decided after a full government review.