ISLAMABAD (MNN); Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, said on Wednesday that terrorism was “India’s trademark,” emphasising that Pakistan faces its enemies openly and with determination.
“Terrorism is not Pakistan’s behaviour; it is India’s,” he stated while addressing the National Ulema and Mashaikh Conference in Islamabad.
Field Marshal Munir stressed that Pakistan does not operate from the shadows and confronts challenges head-on. He said “Riyasat-e-Tayyiba” and the State of Pakistan hold a strong ideological bond and added that real national strength is rooted in unity, education and hard work.
Calling the Pakistan–Saudi Arabia defence pact “historic,” he noted that Pakistan had been granted the honour of safeguarding the Haramain — a distinction not given to any other Muslim nation.
He warned that societies which abandon learning fall into chaos, and highlighted that discipline, research and knowledge form the foundations of progress. He reiterated that in an Islamic state, only the state has the authority to declare jihad.
Urging religious scholars to promote unity and widen the nation’s outlook, he said Pakistan’s victories were achieved with divine support and would continue through collective resolve.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, addressing the convention earlier, said Pakistan could not achieve sustainable economic development without eliminating terrorism, extremism and sectarianism. He called on scholars to spread harmony among all schools of thought, saying national cohesion was essential for the country’s development.
The prime minister said Pakistan’s recent victory against India was the result of the armed forces’ professionalism and the nation’s prayers. He praised Field Marshal Munir’s leadership in the battle and said all three armed services played an equal role.
He noted that despite global appreciation of Pakistan’s achievements, some elements continued to spread propaganda against the armed forces. Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan was on the verge of economic take-off, crediting political and military leadership for steering the country away from default.
He vowed to place Pakistan on a path of economic stability through hard work and austerity, saying this was the time to realise the vision of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
