Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir attended the Independence Day parade at Pakistan Military Academy Kakul as the chief guest yesterday. In his speech, he clearly stated that weakening the military is equivalent to weakening the country, emphasizing that the Pakistan Armed Forces are dedicated to defending the nation, a commitment they sustain with their blood. They will not let their sacrifices go in vain under any circumstances or at any cost.
The greatest challenge to Pakistan’s security, safety, economy, and parliamentary democracy is terrorism, which is like an octopus with roots and branches spreading both inside and outside Pakistan. Terrorism in Pakistan manifests in various forms.
A group of 25 to 150 militants attacks border security forces with modern weapons, laying landmines, targeting security forces, engaging in bloodshed through death squads, and committing massacres with suicide bombers. This armed terrorism is ongoing, and incidents have increased significantly, especially following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan.
Another dimension is economic terrorism, which aims to financially and industrially devastate Pakistan, and this is also happening frequently.
The third type is political terrorism, which involves creating organizations that promote extremist ideologies, fostering extremist leadership within popular political parties, or opening pathways for extremist ideologies within state institutions to influence them. Efforts to pass laws that protect extremism through parliament and attacks on educational curricula are also part of this.
All these aspects are poisonous for Pakistan, but digital terrorism has now taken the lead. Pakistan is currently facing a deluge of digital terrorism. The Chief of Army Staff has also expressed concern about digital terrorism.
He stated that the nation’s unwavering trust in the army is our most valuable asset and that weakening the army is equivalent to weakening the country. He emphasized that our national consciousness is based on the ideology of Pakistan, which is rooted in the two-nation theory, providing Muslims of the subcontinent with a separate identity, culture, and civilization.
The goal of establishing Pakistan was not merely geographical but to create a welfare state based on Islamic principles that could provide protection to people of all religions. Pakistan is the fruit of the great leadership of Quaid-e-Azam and the selfless sacrifices of thousands of Muslims of the subcontinent. On this day, we pay tribute to the workers and martyrs of the Pakistan Movement.
He cautioned that discord and chaos can hollow out a country from within and pave the way for external aggression. The unwavering trust of the nation in the army is our most valuable asset, a strong bond that enhances our courage and resolve in difficult times. He expressed firm belief that no negative force could weaken this trust now or in the future. The Pakistan Armed Forces have sworn to defend the country, sustaining their commitment with their blood, and they will not let their sacrifices go to waste. Rapid global changes are occurring, with an extraordinary pace and nature, but Pakistan maintains a prominent position in the Muslim world and globally due to its stance.
The future of Pakistan is bright and prosperous, but unfortunately, extremism and terrorism are active in the region. The people, the Pakistan Armed Forces, and law enforcement agencies have successfully combated terrorism, made indelible sacrifices, and remain committed to making further sacrifices in the future.
To steer Pakistan towards progress and civilization, it is essential to eliminate all forms of terrorism. Without this, Pakistan cannot escape political instability, economic instability, and unrest. The popular political leadership, religious party leadership, senior officials of the state, and intellectuals observe and read that our security forces’ officers and personnel are fighting terrorists, offering their lives. In this fight, the army, Rangers, border security forces, intelligence officers and personnel, police officers and personnel, and administrative officers and personnel make daily sacrifices, with thousands of Pakistani citizens having lost their lives in terrorist incidents. Against this backdrop, the role and contribution of popular political leadership and religious party leaders are negligible.
The leadership of political parties has failed to understand the geopolitical and geostrategic significance and sensitivity of the northwestern border. While the leadership of popular political parties may appear modern and progressive, they act in ways that favor tribal, feudal, and monopolistic interests. Whenever popular parties come to power, they operate based on the status quo, and when their tenure ends, the country remains where it was when they came into power.
Similarly, poets, writers, educators, philosophers, and intellectuals have played no role in the fight against terrorism. Countries and nations that have defeated extremist ideologies have seen intellectuals, poets, writers, and thinkers play a pioneering role. During the nearly four decades of the Cold War, Pakistan reached the extremes of decline and stagnation in terms of enlightenment and civilization.
Just yesterday, there was an exchange of fire between Pakistani and Afghan security forces on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. According to media reports, the exchange occurred at the Torkham border in the Pakistani area adjacent to Nangarhar province in Afghanistan. Pakistani media reported, citing foreign news agencies, that despite multiple warnings and objections from Pakistani authorities, Afghan authorities did not halt the construction of a checkpoint on the Durand Line, leading to increased tension.
On the other hand, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Interior spokesperson, Abdul Matin Qani, adopted a traditional double-dealing policy on the social media platform X, claiming that Pakistani forces targeted civilian homes. Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense spokesperson Enayatullah Khwarzmi stated that the firing was initiated by Pakistan.
He claimed that as Afghan forces were attempting to establish a checkpoint on the Durand Line, Pakistani forces fired first, prompting a retaliatory response from Afghan forces, leading to the dispute. The spokesperson’s statement contains an implicit response.
The spokesperson referred to the Pakistan-Afghanistan border as the Durand Line and mentioned that Afghan forces were attempting to establish a checkpoint there. The attempt to establish a checkpoint at a location that is clearly not within Afghan territory reveals that Afghanistan seeks to build a checkpoint in an area it knows does not belong to it.
Afghanistan may establish a checkpoint within its territory but cannot build or fence any area in Pakistan, even if it is just one foot of Pakistani territory. The interim Taliban government in Afghanistan should strive to meet international responsibilities. While unilateral interpretations and demands may be acceptable within Afghanistan, the international community and neighboring countries reject such interpretations and demands. Therefore, the Afghan government should avoid unnecessary provocations and mischief.