The Army Chief, General Asim Munir while referring to the division in the ruling party said the country needs a sprinkling of love and the people of Pakistan shouldn’t allow their political disputes to transform into hatred. He emphasized the party’s founding father Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s visions of faith, unity, and discipline to bring the nation out of the shallows.
These remarks were made by General Munir while delivering a speech at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi on the occasion of the country’s 59th Defence Day. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, other government representatives, high-ranking military officials,, and the families of martyr soldiers were present at the event.
While delivering his speech General Munir cautioned the society against taking measures that would seek to promote religious intolerance and hatred against minorities in the society asserting that any attempts towards disintegrating the social unity of people will not have any impact. He reiterated the relationship of the army with the people and said this unity makes a difference in countering foes’ efforts to bring division within the nation.
The army chief also pleaded for respect for minorities and social issues, calling for fraternity, harmony, tolerance,, and patience, adding that it is the responsibility of every citizen of Pakistan to safeguard the minority’s rights as enshrined in the Constitution of Pakistan. He highlighted the importance of eradicating prejudice based on religion and creating a society that is more accepting of other people.
General Munir also stressed the fact that Pakistan was rich in natural resources and pointed out the importance of the youth of Pakistan in the development of the nation. Speaking on the occasion he said: ‘The real treasure of any country is its people,’ he emphasized to the youths to work for the progress and the unity of Pakistan.
General Munir also condemned India’s illegitimate occupation of Jammu and Kashmir terming the situation a national and international question. He said that he stands in support of the people of Kashmir and stressed that stability in the South Asian region is dependent on the Kashmir dispute.
The army chief also expressed concern over the ongoing crisis in Palestine and heavily criticized the actions of Israel while calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. He urged leaders across the globe to step up and do everything possible to bring about an end to the conflict and end the aggression on the Palestinian people.
