Put past behind and look forward: Kayani

Islamabad, Aug 14 (IANS) No one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes, admitted Pakistan's powerful army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. He stressed: "We will have to put the past behind us and look forward."

General Kayani called for introducing better as well as stricter laws to deal with terrorism and added that entire world has formed new laws to punish the terrorists.

The general was addressing the Azadi Parade at Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) in Kakul, a town that saw Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden being gunned down in May last year by US commandos at his high-walled compound located a short distance away from the country's premier institute.

Kayani said: "We will have to put the past behind us and look forward."

The general also said that no one was perfect, everyone made mistakes, some less and some more, but we should get over it, reported Geo TV.

He said that the whole nation has to be united as the army could not succeed without the nation standing behind it.

The army along with the government has completed economic and welfare projects worth Rs.25 billion, he said, adding that the army would also spend as much for on more projects in the next two years.

The general was speaking at a time when ties with the US seem to be improving, specially after the US visit by ISI chief Lt. General Zaheerul Islam.

General Kayani said it was the most difficult task for any army to fight with its own people but it resorted to it when it was left with no other choice.

"Our actual objective is to restore peace in the affected areas. But it is necessary that all the people of Pakistan abide by the constitution of the country and its laws," he added.