News Analysis |
General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), has made it clear on Friday that Pakistan will eradicate the menace of terrorism once for all. COAS also highlighted that certain elements are again trying to draw the country into a confrontation but the State shall not let such elements act “whether in the name of religion, ethnicity or any other pretext”.
It is important to mention here that the army chief’s statement came during a visit to the II Strike Corps, an offensive formation of the Pakistan Army based in southern Punjab. The remarks came as two separate attacks occurred in the country on Friday. At least 31 people were killed and another 40 injured in a blast in Lower Orakzai region of Hangu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) while an attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi killed two policemen and two civilians.
The army chief added that the Pakistan Army shall support socio-economic development, enabling the people to reap dividends of the improving security situation.
All three terrorists involved in the Karachi attack were killed by the security forces. Prime Minister, COAS, ministers and politicians have condemned the attacks and directed the authorities to furnish reports in due course of time to expose the masterminds of the plots. The COAS also said that Pakistan is still fighting a war against the terrorism.
“War against terrorism and militancy is not over yet,” Gen Bajwa said while addressing the troops, adding that “the State needs to address root causes while staying cognizant of “inimical forces and foreign agendas”. As a matter of fact, Pakistan is facing challenges at two fronts; there is politics being played in the name of religion and there is politics being played in the name of ethnicity.
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Recent waves of protest by some religious groups to pressurize the executive, judiciary, and armed forces marked the power of those groups in Pakistan. Similarly, there is a massive propaganda on social media to support a self-styled rights movement which emanated from Pashtun dominated areas of Pakistan. General Bajwa has now made it clear that both religious fanatics and ethnically motivated leaders are mobilizing masses for their vested political interests.
It is important to mention here that the army chief’s statement came during a visit to the II Strike Corps, an offensive formation of the Pakistan Army based in southern Punjab.
Pakistan has also seen the excessive involvement of external actors in its domestic affairs. After the arrest of a serving army officer of India, it is disclosed that how much India had been penetrating into political process in Pakistan. Ethnically motivated unrest is further sustained and intensified by the external actors to compel the state of Pakistan to remain focused on petty internal affairs. In the same way, religiously motivated violence also poses a greater threat to the national security of Pakistan.
Read more: Terrorists meet their fate: Chinese Consulate declared secure
External actors back religious groups to disturb law and order situation in Pakistan to not let the CPEC get successful in the future. Furthermore, COAS has also made it clear that the state has now decided not to surrender this time. There will be a strong action against those challenging the writ of the state, he maintained while speaking to the troops. The army chief added that the Pakistan Army shall support socio-economic development, enabling the people to reap dividends of the improving security situation.