RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa has reiterated that Pakistan’s Armed Forces were capable to fight all external and internal threats in a befitting manner.
“We have fought every enemy courageously and achieved self-sustainability in defence capabilities which made the country’s defence impenetrable,” he said while addressing a Defence Day ceremony held at the General Headquarters on Monday.
The Army Chief noted that Pakistani armed forces were counted among the world’s best. “If any enemy wants to fight us, it will find us ready at every moment and on every front,” COAS added.
“We have no doubt that the relationship between Pakistan Army and the nation is the strong shield that has always defeated the enemy’s plots and black-handed tactics,” he added.
Highlighting the importance of public support in military operations, COAS Bajwa said that without the people’s cooperation, any army would prove to be a wall of sand “like we saw in our neighbouring country”.
He emphasised the changing nature of warfare, saying instead of large-scale war, modern technology and ways of communication were used to weaken a nation’s unity and ideological boundaries. “Our enemies are also using non-traditional means including propaganda and disinformation to achieve their nefarious objectives,” he noted.
However, he said, while the state is aware of the plots of external enemies, “we will have to deal strictly with some internal elements spreading chaos.”
“It is a moment of reflection for all of us that some people are being used by anti-state elements. This is called hybrid or fifth-generation war in common language. Its purpose is to make Pakistan’s roots hollow and damage the country’s unity. InshAllah, we will never let these negative objectives succeed,” he added.
Expressing solidarity with the war-weary people of Afghanistan, Gen Bajwa said Pakistan’s desire was to see the Afghan leadership “settle everything through discussion” and provide peace and happiness for their people.
He paid tribute to officers and martyrs of Pakistan armed forces, intelligence agencies, law-enforcement agencies, and their families. “No power can defeat this nation whose mothers raise their sons to sacrifice their lives for the honour of their country,” he concluded.
