No to militancy

Army Chief General Asim Munir called for upholding the values of tolerance, emancipation, justice and fair play

It’s official that no militia or group can carry or possess arms, or resort to use of force, except the state of Pakistan. This resolve has come at an opportune moment when the country is re-orienting its domestic and foreign priorities, and taking punitive action against illegal immigrants by adopting a zero-tolerance approach towards the non-state actors. Army Chief General Asim Munir rubbed shoulders with religious scholars from all sections of thought, and called for upholding the values of tolerance, emancipation, justice and fair play. He was categorical as he said “Pakistan belongs to all Pakistanis without any religious, provincial, tribal, linguistic, ethnic, sectarian or any other distinction.” This synopsis is at the heart of our nationhood, and it is a good omen that the society without any reservations is unanimous to further the mosaic of brotherhood and cooperation.

This get-together was laudable as scholars and peers called for strengthening the ‘Paigham-i-Pakistan’ concept and to work in tango to nullify the misleading propaganda disseminated by extremists and terrorists. While Pakistan fights terrorism at home and abroad, and its armed forces are in a rejuvenated operation to cleanse the country of sleeping cells, it is desired that a lesson in the great values of compassion and benevolence is resorted to all strata of civil life. Touching these themes in the curriculum, and making it a common point of intellectual discourse is a must. The Ulema have a responsibility to dispense and see to it that the message of sharing a common denominator is implemented in letter and spirit.

The moot at Army Headquarters unanimously condemned extremism, terrorism and sectarianism, and cleanse the society from militancy. Pakistanis have rendered great sacrifices in the war on terrorism. Thus, tolerance, peace and stability are sine qua non for a better realignment of national resilience. It is time to defeat the enemy within which is busy sowing the seeds of discord, by abetting the agenda of dreaded external forces.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 19^th, 2023.

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