"The approval of citizens is essential for the army to function," said Army Chief, Kayani. PHOTO: FILE
"The approval of citizens is essential for the army to function," he said, on his visit to the Command and Staff College in Quetta.
"The country needs to keep a balance between defense and development in order to ensure prosperity in the country," he said.
He said the Army should always be prepared to fulfill its responsibility.
Bringing his address to a close, he emphasised on the need to serve the nation with professionalism, dedication and commitment, Radio Pakistan reported.
Kayani has been hailed for showing his support to the new civilian government. He reportedly called on the prime minister-elect Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz Sharif in Lahore soon after PML-N emerged as the party with the highest number of NA seats in the general elections.
COMMENTS (30)
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What sort of the public support or consensus does the military requires to fulfill its responsibility since forty thousand innocent people have already lost their lives whose protection responsibility lied with the state and in particular military who failed to provide the same ? Is the military only looking at TTP apologists with many in GHQ to give their consent to take action and let the mayhem continue for many more thousands to die in Pakistan ? The military having being allowed to run business houses and making millions have completely forgotten soldiering which is the main reason for its poor performance in CI operations. In fact the troops and top brass should be training hard for counter-insurgency operations where they have failed rather than focusing its energy on non-operational tasks.
Yes, numbersnumber you got the point and I tell you this operation will continue unabated with the international support including Pakistan .
@jg: The nation cannot forget the multiple acts of high treason and raid on democracy in the country by the army. Why do Pakistanis like air-force and navy but not the army? Those are our heroes and their hands are clean. How many wars have you won and how much resources have you consumed and usurped? Showing the mirror is not pretty! Cheers, M
@Umar: respectfully i would disagree with you. there was no order for the army to go in NWA after TTP following malala incident. there was crying on social media only. there was no direction what so ever form the govt.
second, past is past now. now army is following the constitution by taking action on direction of peoples govt. by taking action with backing of civilian govt will help promote civil societies support which helps in enhancing the morale of soldiers.one such instance is SWAT and SWA ops.
FYI, no politicians including president and PM has ever visited any troops on the front line for past 5 years.
@sensible: Army is bound by the law. Army has to follow the policies of democratic govt. I am sure if the gov gives a green light many drones would enter but never leave pak borders.
Major Haroon - Wake up and smell the roses! Army does not hold the sole rights on patriotism. Your email is representative of the sort of mentality that has to be rooted out! We (the civilians) are sick of your money grabbing Generals / Brigadiers, usurping State Lands, usurping State funds for all your loss making enterprising (Fauji Foundation / National Logistics Cell etc.), Army's dominance over finance, education, insurance, Army's top brass corruption in acquiring any new hardware, Officers enjoying perks that are unbelievable (healthcare, education, transportation, housing, home help, cut price property, pension) - all charged to the State, it's ongoing duplicity in carrying out proxy militancy which has now come home to roost! It's inability to control it's own products (Taliban, LeT etc.) which it has unleashed on the populace. Army reserves the right to invade it's own country, which it does so regularly. Please educate us - what other Army in world carries out the above - the only other institution that has a similar function (and runs a protection racket) is /was the mafia. As to the Army's true role, it's record is at best - poor. I have to clarify, the rank and file soldiers are the poor victims but the top brass need a thorough clean up with a big stick. Don't remind us of Swat and all the other places, a lot is of it's own creation, Army was caught napping - WAKE UP! PAKISTAN ZINDABAD
What a shame. What an ignorant and obnoxious list of comments by so called political analysts. The short sightedness our nation carries is once again proved. Why army is being dragged into poll rigging, drones and controlling TTP. My poor Pakistani citizens, please ask ECP why polls were rigged, as far as the responsibility of the army was concerned, it was to make sure no law and order situation happened, remaining outside the polling stations. 100% results achieved. Then my poor ignorant fellows, please ask the political government as to why an executive decision to shoot down drones is not given to the armed forces. You will find many surprising facts! Dont blame and organization just for the sake of it. Controlling TTP??? How coud you forget Swat, SWA, Khyber, Buner, malakand...and so many other places, despite the fact that a big portion of political and religious parties are in the favour of TTP (besides, these parties have scored big mandates in the present polls, meaning pakistani awam is also party to the crime.) For God's sake call what is wrong; wrong, Dont just blame our armed forces without any facts and reasons.
@ observer.............We have short memory,BB said in an interview that OBL had died in 2002? Every day a drama in real life.
i am ashamed to be called a pakistani soldier on reading comments. are you guys indians or total ignorant childish nerds who would just write anything without any research.
does sacrificing your life means nothing to you people. does the laying down of 5000 army soldier lives mean nothing.has the army not cleared areas from TTP terrorists.now the last bastion of NWA, when army calls for action against your mentor TTP, politicians jump in with a white flag to the butchers.are you guys not living a life without TTP influence.
you want the success stories of Military, here they are the areas clear of terrorists;
SWAT,BUNER,MOHMAND,BAJAUR,ORAKZAI,KURRAM,SWA, and 90% of KHYBER.
now if you please let the military give green signal to go in NWA, the result be victory like other ops.
you should appreciate that army is asking for your backing to go in.
who will give order to shoot down drones, Army???? are the children now writing the comments.it is the state which has to develop policy. airforce has been saying this for past 4 years, that thay need govt decision to shoot down drones. now curse you political leaders.
also, why are the drones flying over NWA,......because the americans are crazy????? who controls NWA, ALQAEDA,TTP,Uzbek,Turkeministan,Chechen,Arab,Chinese,Afghan Jehadi groups who have international agenda. now if state does not exercise any control over a lawless area, then any one can come in to bring some sense to it.
wake up you ignorant political actors and thugs. need to get out of your drawing rooms to know whats happening around you.
Maj Haroon, Pak Army
PAKISTAN ZINDABAD
What army has done to protect our air space........ask these politicians who proudly say day in & day out that they have brought & saved democracy, to take responsibility & order the Air Force to shoot down the Drones.This has to be a political decision,please don't accuse our Armed Forces for neglect.
@Usman Lakhani:
what task?..doing nothing when Americans came to Abbotabad
You mean keeping the Abbottabad 'guest' safe and happy was the 'task' of the Pakistan Army?
I'm surprised to see above comments against 'most powerful' Pakistani military!!!..
Sir , your one and only task is to save the country from terrorists and for that sake I think there is no need of any bodies permission as it is a national commitment the with international community to wipr out all terrorists from the country .
Gen Kayani statement citing public support to fulfill military's responsibility along with his earlier statement asking the political parties to reach consensus to fight militancy lacks substance as well as untenable. These statements are mere ploys to justify military's dismal performance against TTP who have so far killed 40000 thousand innocent civilians and still counting. The General should consider himself extremely lucky to be in uniform despite his complete failure in controlling militancy in Pakistan which in fact has increased multifold during his tenure as COAS and violence during elections in spite of army's deployment makes it even worse.
“The country needs to keep a balance between defense and development in order to ensure prosperity in the country,”
Lets restore some of that balance by giving up some of the outrageous perks and privileges enjoyed by the military brass. The Army will never focus on its primary role while its running trucking and water tanker businesses, making cereal and fertilizer and working as the biggest real estate developer in the country.
Ermm.. what task? Doing nothing when elections were being rigged, doing nothing when Americans came to Abbotabad or doing nothing when Salala was attacked. Which task are you referring to?
I am lost for words! Citizens want peace, dignity, Employment ,corruption free leaders and bijlee outsource. Has any one listened to them in our history, including post election hue & cry now.when did our approval ever count for that matter
"Mr. Are you serious"?? you could not even ensure the most important elections in a Pakistan's history to be fair. You let rigging happen right under your nose! So you are hopeless; we don't trust and believe you.
Sir, these ignorant people will not understand your words and your sacrifices in keeping them secure. When you guys intervene they cry for Democracy and When you give control back Democrats they don't let you secure the nation and push you to keep quite. Always with you, Love you Pakistan Army!
No more tenure extension please. We need younger people.
After 65 years you are just ready? Please now start performing your duties.
The Army Chief stressed that for the the military to function, they needed public support. What does it mean? The army is functioning without public support for the last 65 years. Mr. Kayani should reveal one achievement of our Army so far on whom thirty percent of our budget is spent.
You have all the approval you need sir. If you are able to rid us of these terrorists really, this nation will place you back in their hearts.
The army is ready to fulfill its responsibility! What was it doing all these years? Watching the massacre and butchering and bombing of our tens of thousands of innocent people?
"Army ready to fulfil its responsibility"
You better be 'ready' for we pay billions of dollars from our measly tax revenues to your departments !
“The approval of citizens is essential for the army to function.”
Better late than never !!!
“The country needs to keep a balance between defense and development in order to ensure prosperity in the country,”
This balance has been out of whack for the past 65 years General..! Let's hope there is some semblance of balance soon !!
about time...
What responsibility did you fulfill. People are voilating your airspace again and agian and you're doing nothing.