Courtesy ISPR
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen. Asim Munir on Monday said that attempts to weaken the bond between the people of Pakistan and the armed forces will never succeed, adding the Pakistan Army can neither be deterred, nor coerced, by anyone.
“Those who are making futile efforts to drive a wedge and weaken the unbreakable bond between the people of Pakistan and its armed forces will never be able to succeed,” he said during an address to officers of the Command and Staff College Quetta. According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the address took place during a visit to the Quetta Garrison.
Gen. Munir, per the ISPR, said that the armed forces were “perpetually indebted” to the people of Pakistan, who had given a “befitting” reply to the “nefarious designs of the enemy and their collaborators” through the “recent manifestation of their unique love” for the armed forces. He further maintained that the nexus between the internal collusive elements and external forces to create instability had amply been exposed to the people of Pakistan. “[The] Pakistan Army, being one of the strongest armies of the world, with the blessings of Allah and undaunted support of proud people of Pakistan, can neither be deterred nor coerced by anyone,” he added.
During his address, the Army chief also emphasized upon operational preparedness for conventional, sub-conventional and 5th generation warfare. According to the ISPR, he visited various welfare schemes for soldiers in Quetta Garrison and was earlier received by Commander Quetta Corps.
Since the May 9 riots triggered by the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, Gen. Munir has repeatedly stressed that attacks on civil and military installations and monuments will not be tolerated. Describing May 9 as a “black day” in the history of Pakistan, he has said that the nation would never forgive or forget those who had desecrated the memorials of martyrs and undermined their dignity.