ABBOTABAD: The Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani said on Saturday that the challenges faced by the nation will strengthen its will.
(Read: The green flag unfurled: a pictorial account)
He said this while addressing the Independence Day parade at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul.
The Chief of Army Staff said thatAugust 14, 1947 was a historic day for the Muslims of the subcontinent and is an indication that the will of the Muslims to establish a separate homeland was indomitable.
He also praised the armed forces of Pakistan for their courage, determination and professionalism in deploying their duties.
He also said that Pakistan will progress by following the principles of Islam.
"This great religion is the bond that binds us together and not a force that divides us," he added.
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This is the evidence, in a long list, that Pakistan is a not by any stretch of imagination a Democracy or wants to be. The nation which gives more importance to a Army Chief's speech than a PM's or President's cannot become a Democratic nation.
When was the last time Indians or the Americans gave so much coverage to their Army Chief's speech?
@rikky(India): Very well said what ever you said...Can You tell me Where were you when Pakistan Told Indian Muslims Not to Come to Pakistan ????? And we may seem divided.... But not as much as you guys are.. just see your own country.. where even you Hindus are Divided into sooo many castes.. You dont even drink water from the hands of a low caste human being... Talking ohh no no screaming at the top of your media vioce.. we are a democratic country.. every body lives freely.. Not long back you forgot Babari Mosque... what did your own COURT did to Muslims.... Jsut a piece of advise.. Apna Mulk sambhalooo.. Hamari Fikar choro.. We are enough to handle our own problems.. and we also know how to handle those who are creating problems for US... Just wait and Watch.....
Assalam-o-Allaikum Warahmatullah.Much the best statement given by COAS but to achieve this goal and purpose in real,true and practical form our leaders including COAS shall have to stop begging US aid and shall have to stop military operation against the innocent muslims on the name of fake terrorism on the commandments of their worldly master USA.And the most importantly our leaders shall have to stand on their feet to get real,true and practically self-reliance without depending on foreign aid and terrorism coalition fund from USA so that our leaders could defend the Pakistan's and Pakistani nation's honor,grace,dignity,courage,integrity and self-respect which have been sold just against the $$$$$ already.Challenges,self-respect,honor,grace,dignity,integrity and self-reliance always make the nations and countries stronger but foreign aids always weaken the countries and nations.USA threatened to stop military aid and COAS sent ISI chief to USA by bowing down the knees before USA to restore blocked aid.By using such these kinds of cowardice actions the nations and countries can never be strengthened even you face thousand of challenges daily.
I notice that General is good at acknowledging the problems, however is very reluctant in any actions to solve them, as most of the crises facing the Nation are either created by his institution or they are in conflict with policy making process of democratic Govt !! So rather than giving speeches, why does General not take any action in NW to eradicate the terroe outfits residing there for starters and than assist the lawmakers in maintaining and respecting the Constitution of the Nation. While he is at it, he should also consider the state of Nation's debts and economy and reduce the expenditure required for his institution too !!! But i suppose that would be too much to ask for!!! Well not much has been achieved for the man on street, in last 64 years of Independance, apart from the Bomb, which is not going to feed him, Loss of Eastern Region, Various adventures in fighting neighbours and coming out worse off, Nation's Debt Mountain is rising to levels of unsustainability, What little industry that existed has been destroyed due to cheap imports and lack of energy or competativeness, Country's leaders have lost all transparency in their dealings as have the Elite and Landed class too. Wonder, what the Father of the Nation must be thinking to his dream project and its outcome today !!!
@faraz:
You're right...then how come M.M. Qadri and assassins of Shahbaz Bhatti are not tried yet? Why is he still around after the Abbotabad incident? Why does Military continue to eat a large chunk of the national budget? Why Hafiz Saeed has not been given a severe punishment?
For some Muslims in the the subcontinent (like me), their independence day is on 15th August. For others it is in March 1971.
So while 14th August is definitely the independence day for Pakistanis (including Hindu and Christian Pakistanis). It is incorrect to define this day as independence day for Muslims of the subcontinent
I wish happy independence day to my Pakistani neighbours.
I agree with the statement General, as long as you understand, that the civilian authority and democratic government is supreme in the country--and they make the strategic decisions.
“This great religion is the bond that binds us together and not a force that divides us,” People in the subcontinent who do not subscribe to the two nation theory find these statements as intellectual opportunism. However there are others who really believe Islam can be a binding force FOR A NATION. 14th and 15th August are perhaps the days when we two opposites need to take a break and wish each other good luck. We,for one, helped the mighty british imperialism move over and make way. The divide in the subcontinent is very fundamental and complex. People here will keep living and dying for their belief for some more time i guess.Lets say we are in God's hand. So all the best Mr Kayani. All the best Pakistan.
Thanks General Sahib for speaking about challenges and Will to resolve. The six biggest challenges from a long list which we are facing include 1. Rule of Law, 2. Terrorism, 3. Corrupton, 4. Population explosion 5. Unempolyment. 6. Energy shortages. Challeges are there and Will is in abundance, Are we making any headway too or its just a statement before going for a holiday.
Musharraf was total drama, atleast he is more serious in eliminating TTP
@Amjad: "I respect General Kayani for being a principled realist."
Sir, I absolutely agree with you General Kayani is a Realist but definitely not Principled. He is actually, I would rather say more than a Realist, because he understands quite well the very dynamics how to exploit the situation to his and only his benefit and that is where his realism starts and ends. Had he ever been Principled he would have retired honouably when his term as COS expired but he forced shamelessly the Civilians to extend his tenure not only by one year but three years by doing this how many other General Officers who perhaps were much more competent than him lost their chance for ever to prove their worth so did the Nation incur loss of her investment in them. This proves the sad fact that this country was created as a fiefdom for the opportunists and the elite not for the good of commonman. As far as the Islam is concerned it is used by them for emotional exploitation of the majority to the hilt. I have been there and I know how much religious these people are and the amount of respect they hold for my faith.
@rikky(India)
You should worry about India where 13 states are facing insurgency situation. Indian's real problem is that they live in hyped-up world of 'Shinning India' and Bollywood fantasy while vast majority of their citizens suffer from poverty, hunger under the most corrupt system in the world. So worry about yourself. Leave Pakistan, we will sort out our problems.
I respect General Kayani for being a principled realist. He understands that Pakistan's long term future resides with establishing the rule of law and stable governance within a democratic system. He is a true patriot who puts Pakistan first. He believes in the Quaid's Pakistan. He has already sent the anti state criminals packing. All they can do now is mount occasional cowardly attacks for their foreign masters but we are seeing a reduction of terrorism and the removal of these anti state criminals from many parts of Pakistan like Swat. All thanks to the Pakistani military under a wise professional general like Kayani. Pakistan Zindabad.
It seems Mr Kayani has not learned any lesson from history and it also tells about priority of Pak army.
We are fully with our army who is fighting on many fronts. We could predict we would emerge victorious.
Vienna,14-08-2011 Today is a DAY to remember "the armed forces of Pakistan for their courage, determination and professionalism in deploying their duties " almost about half time of the independent Pakistan, against the constituent citizens! For some Pakistanis Pakistan was reality only in 1973. How strange. Taravadu Taranga Trust for Media Monitoring, TTTMM India --Kulamarva Balakrishna
Kayani is a great Realist Army Leader. Our next generation must earn more money and pay decent amounts of taxes to support our civilian government and it's security functions such as R&D and technologically advanced National Peace Keeping forces.
We must not forget, export-oriented-money-making for common men and women, is the first priority before any other temporary, or short-term, issue.
Thank you for protecting us on the 14th of August.
Pakistan needs a brand, Indians are selling cheap stuff under its brand of "Incredible India" which isn't incredible because of 18 separatist movements, gross human rights violations in Kashmir and state-aggression against Maoist people, and the fact that more than 400 million indians, i.e. more than twice the size of Pakistan, are under debt, and below poverty line.
We are too good to compare ourselves with our fellow neighbors. We need to learn from their export oriented capitalistic growth, that's it.
Let's begin work and make love while we are at it.