General Syed Asim Munir addresses participants of Pakistan National Youth Conference n Says purpose of fabricated propaganda is to spread despair n Tragedy of Pakistani politics is that its focus is power n If govt or its head changes in a democratic way, it should not be likened to political instability n PM calls for rejecting propaganda against Pakistan.
ISLAMABAD - Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir said Wednesday that the Armed Forces of Pakistan are fully prepared against any threat and conspiracy.
Addressing the participants of Pakistan National Youth Conference in Islamabad, COAS said Pakistan will never compromise its sovereignty. The Army Chief delivered a highly reasoned and important address at the Jinnah Convention Centre in Islamabad during the Youth Convention.
During this address, attendees at the Convention Centre raised many important questions. Without going into the complete details of the speech and all the questions answered, some questions and their given answers are noteworthy as it is extremely important to understand their true essence. Following is the detail of the important questions and their answers.
The Army Chief while shedding light on the reasons behind the creation of Pakistan clarified that the foundation of Pakistan was a reflection of the collective thought of the Muslims of the subcontinent.
The Muslims of the subcontinent were convinced that their religion and Islamic culture and civilisation were completely different from Hindus. Because of this difference, it was absolutely impossible for both nationalities to live together. As a result of this thinking, Pakistan came into existence. “Today’s youth, having escaped Hindu domination, cannot afford to be attracted to Western civilisation. When Allah has declared our religion as the complete religion, we should have complete faith in our religion and its teachings; this faith is the axis of our self-confidence.” The Army Chief expressed his views on the increasing propaganda on social media, emphasising that our religion instructs us to research before believing in anything. “The false propaganda spread about our country is a betrayal of the blessings bestowed upon us by Allah. We should have confidence and pride in our country, its manpower, natural resources, and above all, our national identity.” The Army Chief further stated that the tragedy of Pakistani politics is that its focus is power. “Those in government do not want to leave power, and the political elements outside the government are eager to gain power as soon as possible. Unfortunately, not all individuals in Pakistan’s political parties and institutions can be good because the individuals in these parties and institutions are the product of the same society, and it is a natural process for individuals to be influenced by these good and bad traits. For the betterment of this country, both I and you have to light our own candles.
Clarifying further about the negative effects of social media, the Army Chief warned the participants that it is everyone’s responsibility to protect themselves from these negative impacts. The purpose of fabricated propaganda is to spread despair. It is now imperative for you to ignore this despair and trust in your self-confidence. In response to a question raised about the lack of political stability in the country, the Army Chief emphasised the importance of the five-year term of the Parliament. He said that the people of Pakistan elect the parliament for five years, and during this time, if the government or its head changes in a democratic way, it certainly should not be likened to political instability. In this context, he cited the examples of Mother of Democracy Britain and neighboring India, where governments have changed several times during the five-year term of the parliament.
In response to questions raised about the caretaker government ruling for more than three months, the Army Chief said that no caretaker government can leave without assigning responsibility to a government elected as a result of elections. The delay in elections was due to constitutional requirements, such as census and constituency delimitation, and later, the date of elections was determined after judicial scrutiny. As soon as the election process is completed, the caretaker government will step down from its responsibilities. In response to a question about the rights of Gilgit-Baltistan, the Army Chief emphasised the need for us all to identify as Pakistanis. The identity card and passport that people of Gilgit-Baltistan have are the same as mine, and this identity keeps us united. It is necessary that we resist all kinds of negative propaganda and discourage all negative tendencies.
The youth, on this occasion, chanted slogans ‘Long Live Pakistan, Pakistan Army and Quaid-i-Azam Zindabad’.
Meanwhile, Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Wednesday affirmed that as responsible citizens, the people of Pakistan must reject and collectively fight the vicious propaganda onslaught unleashed by the enemies against Pakistan in the recent past. The prime minister, addressing the Pakistan National Youth Convention 2024 as the chief guest, said the youth could play a constructive role in dealing with this emerging national security challenge provided they remained focused, and fact checked all details through authentic information from the state institutions rather than falling prey to the propaganda. “We, as a nation, have fought the menace of terrorism most valiantly, offering unparalleled sacrifices,” he said. Prime Minister Kakar appreciated the role of Armed Forces in the fight against the menace of terrorism with full commitment and professional excellence. “Pakistan’s successes in the war against terrorism would not have been possible without the participation and support of the youth who make 65% of our population,” he added.