RAW be restrained from using Iranian soil: COAS

 

ISLAMABAD: Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif called upon visiting Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and urged him to restrain the Indian Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) from using Iranian soil against Pakistan.

He told the visiting Iranian president that the Indian intelligence outfit was involved in Pakistan, especially in Balochistan, and sometimes used the soil of the brother country Iran. The COAS requested the Iranian president that India should be told to stop such activities and allow Pakistan to achieve stability. General Raheel Sharif also highlighted challenges being faced by Pakistan and discussed the involvement of RAW in Pakistan’s internal affairs.

Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DGISPR) Lieutenant General Asim Saleem Bajwa told The News that the Army Chief discussed with the president of Iran subjects of bilateral ties, border security and connectivity. General Raheel Sharif had a meeting with visiting Iranian President Dr Hassan Rouhani here in his hotel room.

The Iranian president paid rich tributes to the professionalism of the Pakistan Army and its phenomenal achievements in operation Zarb-e-Azb.

Meanwhile, sources said that a massive hunt had begun to nab RAW’s moles in various parts of the country. It is understood that the presence of more RAW infiltrators couldn’t be ruled out. The clue about the presence of such secret agents had surfaced in the process of the interrogation of Kul Bhushan Yadav who was running network of terror in Balochistan and other parts of the country, the sources added.

Online adds: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani denied having discussed the arrest of a RAW agent by Pakistan the security agencies with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif during a meeting.

Shortly after General Sharif’s meeting with the visiting Iranian leader, local media claimed that the arrest of the RAW agent was also discussed besides other issues related to regional security.

“There was no discussion about an Indian spy during my meeting with General Raheel,” Rouhani told a news conference.

He said that Tehran enjoyed brotherly relations with both Pakistan and India.

Hassan Rouhani said his meetings with Pakistani leaders were fruitful and positive. “The rumours start swirling whenever we come closer to Pakistan,” he said.

He said that work on the Pak-Iran gas pipeline was going on at a rapid pace and both the countries needed to enhance cooperation in the fields of health, education and technology.

Expressing Iran’s desire to get connected with Pakistan through the railway and road networks, the Iranian leader said linking Gwadar port with China through a railway network would benefit the entire region.—Originally published in The News