Maj Gen (Retd) Zahid Mehmood (Defense Analyst): India has initiated a proxy war and state sponsored terrorism using Afghan soil against Pakistan. Unfortunately, some elements within Pakistan have also been supporting India in this regard. An anti-Pakistan network has been established and is targeting Pakistan. It is the need of the hour that Pakistan needs to respond to the conspiracies and propagandas against the country. Some elements by using social media are trying to create a gap between the nation and the security forces. The misuse of social media is maligning Pakistan and the culprits involved in the activities must be dealt with iron hands. There is no doubt that India is involved in creating instability in Balochistan and sponsoring the banned organizations including BLA. India is also trying to sabotage the China Pakistan Economic Corridor project in order to destabilize the economy. The interim government in Afghanistan must comply with the Doha accord and not use its soil by the militants. Pakistan must effectively use its diplomatic channels to urge the Afghan government to take action against the militant groups active there. The government in KPK must focus on its governance rather than indulge itself in political instability.

 Brig (Retd) Waqar Hassan (Defense Analyst): Pakistan has hostile neighbors with India on one side and Afghanistan on the other. The tension between the countries is promoting instability in the region. Pakistan, at its end, always tried its level best to improve relations with the neighboring countries but unfortunately reciprocated a non-serious attitude in response from India and Afghanistan. After the withdrawal of NATO forces from Afghanistan, the peace situation in the region became worse. The major regional stakeholders have urged the interim Afghan government to stop sponsoring terrorism. Pakistan is determined to eradicate the menace of terrorism from its soil. Afghanistan needs to understand that Pakistan hosted a record number of Afghan refugees for a record period of time i.e. over four decades. The government must encourage the youth of FATA and Balochistan to become a part of the national streamline and play a role in the development of the country. We need to provide quality education, medical facilities and technical training to the people of these areas in particular. Moreover, the government must initiate measures to cope with the challenge of poverty alleviation.