Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir caused controversy with his speech at the Overseas Pakistanis Convention in Islamabad, reaffirming Pakistan’s consistent position on Kashmir and addressing criticism regarding terrorism and national security issues.
Addressing the overseas Pakistanis, General Munir declared, “Our position is crystal clear, it was our jugular vein, it will be our jugular vein, we will not forget it. We will not abandon our Kashmiri brothers in their heroic struggle.” He re-emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to Kashmir and presented it as a key issue for the country.
To address concerns about Pakistan’s investment environment as a result of terror threats, Munir stated, “Do you think terrorists are capable of taking away the country’s destiny? The Indian Army, numbering 1.3 million and having all the means, if they cannot threaten us, do you think these terrorists are capable of dominating the country’s armed forces?”
Crackdown in Balochistan
The army chief also vowed tough action against terrorist organizations in Balochistan, stating, “Even ten generations of terrorists cannot hurt Balochistan and Pakistan.” Speaking about militant groups such as the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF), and Baloch Republican Army (BRA), he said they were not an existential threat to the state.
In the aftermath of the recent BLA militants’ hijack of the Jaffar Express train, Munir promised a stern retaliation: “We will beat the hell out of these terrorists very soon. Do Pakistan’s enemies think that a handful of terrorists can decide the fate of Pakistan?” The train ordeal concluded after a military raid that resulted in the deaths of 33 BLA members and freed 354 hostages, said Pakistani officials.
Reasserting the Two-Nation Theory
Munir also laid stress on the ideological basis of Pakistan as he said, “Our forefathers believed we are different from Hindus in every conceivable aspect of life. Our religions are different, our traditions are different, our ways of life are different, our thoughts are different, our ambitions are different. That was the basis of the two-nation theory.”
Exhorting people to leave this legacy behind, he added, “You have to tell the story of Pakistan to your children so that they don’t lose it when our ancestors believed we were different from the Hindus in all walks of life.”
A Call for Unity
Ending his address, Munir appealed for unity of the Pakistani nation with the armed forces: “Today we are sending out this clear message together—that whatever comes in the way of Pakistan’s progress, we will get rid of that hurdle together. The question is not when Pakistan will get developed, but how quickly Pakistan develops.”
