Amid ‘Azadi March’, army urges ‘cohesion of stakeholders on key national issues’

We shall not let security gains reverse to suit any vested agenda at any cost, says army chief

The top military commanders have put their full weight behind the state institutions and vowed that reversal of security gains would not be allowed at any cost.

The pledge was made at the 226th Corps Commanders’ Conference which met army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa at GHQ, the military headquarters, on Monday.

According to ISPR, the military’s media wing, the army chief said Pakistan Army as an organ of the state will continue to support national institutions as and when asked in accordance with the Constitution.

“We have attained better internal security and stability through cohesive national efforts and sacrifices rendered by Pakistan’s armed forces, all national institutions and above all the nation,” he was quoted as saying at the meeting.

“We shall not let it reverse to suit any vested agenda at any cost,” he added.

“We have attained better internal security and stability through cohesive national efforts and sacrifices rendered by Pakistan Armed Forces, all national institutions & above all the nation. We shall not let it reverse to suit any vested agenda at any cost”, COAS.(2of3). pic.twitter.com/hZ1EJZRVcw

— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) November 4, 2019

The military’s assurance of support to the state institutions came at a time when JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, along with all opposition parties, are encamped in the capital demanding resignation of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The firebrand cleric, while addressing his supporters on Friday, called upon the “state institutions” to stay impartial and stop supporting the Imran-led government. He didn’t name any institution, though.

Reacting to the Maulana’s statement, Major General Asif Ghafoor had said that the Pakistani military was an impartial state institution, which always supported democratically elected governments in accordance with the Constitution. He also warned that nobody would be allowed to create chaos and instability in the country.

Monday’s corps commanders’ conference also reviewed geo-strategic and national security environment and discussed internal security, situation along the eastern border, Line of Control and Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, said the military statement.

The military commanders expressed firm resolve to defend the country against full spectrum threat at the meeting.

“While Pakistan’s armed forces with support of national institutions and the nation are fully prepared and committed to thwart all threats including on the eastern border,” General Qamar said.

He added that the continued cohesion of all national stakeholders on key national issues is essential to defeat ‘inimical forces’.