The debacle of East Pakistan, which led to the breakup of our country, left me with a strong conviction that military operations are never a solution to any problem, least of all one involving one’s own people.

I stood firmly with those who opposed Musharraf’s Balochistan operation and earlier the sending of the military into Waziristan.

Today, as I remain convinced that peace cannot be restored in Pakistan through continuing military operations, the entire political leadership of the country has shown the same conviction through the APC held last month. Three previous APCs had also sought peace through dialogue.