DNA
Rawalpindi 30 May, 2024: General Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), Chief of Army Staff (COAS),
presided over the 83rd Formation Commanders Conference at GHQ, attended by
Corps Commanders, Principal Staff Officers, and all Formation Commanders of
Pakistan Army.
The forum offered Fatiha and paid tribute to the supreme sacrifices of Shuhadas,
including officers and men of the Armed Forces, Law Enforcement Agencies, and
citizens of Pakistan who laid their lives for the country’s safety, security,
and sovereignty.
The forum was briefed on the dynamics of the geo-strategic environment, emerging
challenges to national security, and the Army’s strategy to counter
multi-domain threats. The participants were also briefed on technological
innovations to modernize the Army and optimize logistic support to field
formations, in line with fast-evolving operational environment.
The forum expressed serious concerns over continued cross-border violations from
Afghanistan and terrorism being orchestrated using Afghan soil, noting that
Pakistan’s adversaries were using Afghanistan to target Security Forces and
innocent civilians inside Pakistan. The forum acknowledged the priceless
sacrifices of the people of Newly Merged Districts (NMDs) in the war against
terrorism and underscored the importance of uplifting the NMDs to decisively
defeat terrorism.
The forum also underlined the need for socio-economic development in Balochistan to
counter externally propagated narratives of exclusion, exploited by
foreign-sponsored proxies to lead Balochistan’s youth away from peace and
progress.
Reviewing the prevailing situation on the Eastern Border and the latest round of
extra-judicial murders in IIOJK, the forum expressed complete solidarity with
the Kashmiri people in their just struggle for the inalienable right to
self-determination as enshrined in UNSC Resolutions. The forum showed concern
over the treatment of minorities, especially Muslims, in India and noted the
growing fascism being perpetrated to achieve vested political ends. The forum
also expressed complete solidarity with the people of Palestine and condemned
serious human rights violations and war crimes being perpetrated in Gaza,
supporting the International Court of Justice decision to stop Rafah Operation
and all other operations within the Gaza Strip.
The forum underscored that politically motivated and vested digital terrorism,
unleashed by conspirators duly abetted by their foreign cohorts, against State
institutions is clearly meant to try to induce despondency in the Pakistani
nation, to sow discord among national institutions, especially the Armed
Forces, and the people of Pakistan by peddling blatant lies, fake news, and
propaganda. However, the nation is fully cognisant of their ugly and ulterior
motives and surely the designs of these nefarious forces will be
comprehensively defeated, InshaAllah.
The forum noted that planners, perpetrators, abettors, and facilitators of 9th May
need to be brought to justice for the collective good of the country, and that
without swift and transparent dispensation of justice to the culprits and
establishing the rule of law, stability in the country will ever remain hostage
to the machinations of such elements.
The forum resolved to continue to fully support the government’s initiatives in
various domains for sustainable economic growth and curbing illegal activities,
including smuggling, hoarding, electricity theft, implementation of One
Document Regime, dignified repatriation of illegal foreigners, and safeguarding
of the national database, etc.
The COAS appreciated the high standard of training displayed by formations during
various exercises and the excellent performance of officers and troops in
counter-terrorism operations. The COAS commended the formations for their high
morale and round-the-clock operational readiness. The participants expressed
their complete satisfaction with the steps being taken at the Army level for
the training, administration, and welfare of serving and retired officers and
troops. The forum noted the significant milestone achieved by Pakistan on
Youm-e-Takbir and its stabilizing impact on the region.
The Conference concluded by affirming the resolve to neutralize all threats to the
security and stability of the country with the full backing of the proud
nation.
