Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir’s in-camera briefing on national security
Pakistan’s Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir has urged citizens to unite under the banner of “Hamara Pakistan” (Our Pakistan) and to move beyond divisions of “Naya Pakistan” (New Pakistan) or “Purana Pakistan” (Old Pakistan). Speaking at an in-camera briefing at the National Security Council (NSC) meeting, Gen. Asim emphasized the centrality of the Pakistani people and the Constitution to the nation’s well-being.
The aim is to end the ongoing polarization in society, which has been fueled by the “Naya Pakistan” and “Purana Pakistan” slogans. Munir stated that the center of gravity of the state of Pakistan is the people, while the manifestation of the opinion of the people is the Constitution and the Parliament.
The National Security Council (NSC) held an in-camera briefing on national security under the chair of National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf at the Parliament House on Friday, where the Army Chief delivered the concluding speech.
During the meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was also given an opportunity to speak. General Asim Munir, the Army Chief, extended his congratulations to the Parliament and its members on the 50th anniversary of the implementation of the 1973 Constitution. Munir emphasized that the elected representatives of the people should be the ones to determine the destination of the country, and the Pakistan Army is fully prepared to support them in achieving success and development. He further added that Pakistan has abundant resources and manpower that can be utilized for the betterment of the country.
Asim Munir’s views were well-received by Members of the National Assembly, who welcomed him with thumping their desks. The Army Chief paid tribute to the framers of the 1973 Constitution and said that the constitution says that power shall be exercised by the elected representatives of the people.
The Army Chief emphasized that sovereignty belongs to Almighty Allah and the Constitution has been authorized only by this order of Allah Almighty. He also confirmed to the Parliament that there is no no-go area in Pakistan and behind this success is a large number of martyrs and ghazis who cultivated this country with their blood as more than 80,000 of them offered sacrifices including the blood of more than 20,000 Ghaziyans and more than 10,000 martyrs.
General Asim Munir stated that security forces are equipped and prepared to ensure peace in the country. He added that terrorists have no choice but to accept the authority of the state, and daily intelligence-based operations are being carried out to ensure this.
He also added that holding talks with terrorists was a mistake as Pakistan bore the brunt of the negotiations with the terrorists in the form of their further grouping.
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif also paid tribute to the officers and men of the law enforcement agencies including the army, rangers, and police during the NSC meeting. Prime Minister acknowledged that Pakistan has made significant sacrifices in the fight against terrorism, with over 80,000 lives lost. However, he expressed disappointment that the progress made in restoring peace in the country over the past few years has been squandered.
PM raised some questions about the return of terrorism to the country and who was responsible for it. He questioned where the funds for the eradication of terrorism and FATA reforms went, as all the provinces had given funds for these objectives.
In the meeting, he inquired about the whereabouts of the billions of rupees allocated to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and emphasized the need for transparency and accountability in the utilization of funds. The gathering was attended by senior officials from both the civilian and military sectors along with Members of the National Assembly (MNAs).
The Punjab chief secretary and inspector general of police (IGP) also participated in the NSC meeting.
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General Asim Munir was accorded a warm welcome by the parliamentarians when he reached the Parliament House for the in-camera briefing on national security. He emphasized the importance of unity and cooperation among all stakeholders to ensure peace and development in Pakistan.
Army Chief Asim Munir’s slogan “Hamara Pakistan” is a reminder to all Pakistanis to come together and put aside their differences for the betterment of the nation. It is important to focus on the center of gravity of the state, which is the people, and work towards their welfare and progress.
