Army backs economic revival plan

ISLAMABAD: The army top brass, on Monday, was briefed on the terrorists’ sanctuaries in Afghanistan and told that uninterrupted movement and access to the latest weapons enabled them to carry out terrorist activities in Pakistan.

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir presided over the 258th Corps Commanders’ Conference (CCC) held at GHQ on Monday. In this meeting, the top brass vowed its full support to government’s economic revival plan.

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According to a statement issued by the military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR): “The sanctuaries and liberty of action available to the terrorists of proscribed TTP and other groups of that ilk in a neighbouring country and availability of latest weapons to the terrorists were noted as major reasons impacting [the] security of Pakistan.”

The top military brass vowed to fully support the strategic initiatives planned by the Government of Pakistan for the revival of the economy by providing all possible technical and management support for the overall good of the people of Pakistan.

Last Friday, the military deplored the convenience and freedom with which militants have been launching attacks in Pakistan from Afghanistan and said it expected Afghan rulers to take action. It has also highlighted the involvement of Afghan nationals in acts of terrorism in Pakistan.

Following the Zhob and Sui districts attacks in which 12 soldiers embraced martyrdom, the military’s media wing stated: “Armed Forces of Pakistan have serious concerns on the safe havens and liberty of action available to TTP (Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan) in Afghanistan.”

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Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had also criticised the Afghan interim government, alleging a failure to uphold its commitments as outlined in the Doha agreement.

The Taliban government, on the other hand, claimed that Kabul was committed not to allow anyone to use the soil of Afghanistan against any other country.

The corps commanders also deliberated in detail upon the operational preparedness and training aspects of the army.

COAS Gen Munir said, “Objective training remains the hallmark of our professionalism and we must always remain prepared to guard against any threat to our national security.”

The forum paid rich tribute to the supreme sacrifices persistently being offered by the valiant soldiers in the defence of their motherland against the threat of terrorism.

The forum was also told about the government’s economic revival plan and the role of the army in uplifting agriculture, IT, mining and minerals, and defence production sectors under the ambit of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC).

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023