ISLAMABAD: National Security Adviser retired Lt Gen Nasser Janjua has said that Pakistan has been playing the front line role for peace, particularly after 9/11 attacks, while Imran Khan said it was a blunder by the then government to join Afghan jihad against Russia and later the US-led war against Taliban.

Speaking at a business summit on Friday, Mr Janjua said that though Pakistan rendered a lot of sacrificesand played a pivotal role in the war against terrorism it could not get due acknowledgement f rom the world.

He said that instead of getting appreciation, Pakistan developed a bad reputation for itself a scenario far from reality.

`The world thinks we are playing a double-game regarding Taliban, the true picture of this country is not being presented before the world,` he argued, adding that after the 9/11 attacks when Pakistan joined the US-led Insaf (International Security Assistance Force) against the Taliban, the Afghan Taliban formed Tehreek-iTalibanPakistantonghtthePakistani forces.

The former general said that Pakistan had fought for a long period of time for the existence of Afghanistanand during this process it had confronted a lot of challenges. Pakistan, he said, shared a complicated border with Afghanistan because it had a large number of entry points. `The biometric system installed on the border has been destroyed by Afghanistan, he pointed out.

About the appointment of Gen Raheel Sharif as the head of a Saudiled military alliance of Muslim countries, the adviser emphasised that the former army chief was not going to join the coalition as its Sunni head.

`General Sharif has been enjoying a good relationship with Iran as well,` he said, adding that the former COAS would not side with either Saudi Arabia or Iran, rather he would maintain the required `delicate balance`.

Addressing a separate session of theevent, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan said that participation of Pakistan in Afghan jihad was a blunder of the Zia regime. He said Pakistan first produced jihadis for this war but later had to fight against those jihadis during the war on terror, rendering big sacrifices and suffering a lot during the exercise.

`For the sake of dollars, we produced jihadis in the `80s for Afghan war, then again for dollars, we fought against jihadis after 9/11,` Mr Khan said, adding it was unfortunate that while Islamabad secretly allowed drone attacks on Pakistani soil publicly it issued statements against such strikes.

In reply to a question about US President Donald Trump, Mr Khan said he initially considered him an incompetent leader, but after seeingthe team he chose his views had changed. `Now, I consider him not bad but worse,` he said.

The PTI leader said that currently his eyes were focused on the upcoming verdict of the Panamagate case which, according to him, would serve as a milestone for the country`s future.

He said that the ruling elite had corrupted the governance system of the country. `People join politics for making money.

Talking about electoral reforms, Mr Khan said that before next polls his party would plead for reforms.

He ruled out the possibility of any more martial laws in the country. `Now because of vibrant media and social media, military can`t impose martial law,` the PTI chief said and added that martial laws had damaged democracy.