Foreign agenda spreading false claims of public-army conflict: COAS

Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir reaffirmed the strong bond between the people and the military, dismissing foreign narratives attempting to create divisions, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

During a meeting with political leaders in Peshawar, General Munir stated, “The relationship between the army and the people is unique. False narratives of division are part of specific foreign agendas.”

Highlighting Pakistan’s policy priorities, he emphasized, “Our focus is solely on Pakistan.” Speaking about relations with Afghanistan, he said, “Afghanistan is our brotherly Islamic neighbor, and Pakistan has always worked towards better relations with it.”

However, he stressed that issues with Afghanistan arise due to “the presence of miscreants and cross-border terrorism, which must be resolved.”

General Munir ruled out large-scale military operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, stating, “No part of Pakistan is under the control of miscreants. Intelligence-based targeted operations are carried out as needed.”

Calling for unity against terrorism, he urged, “The state must take precedence over politics. Without the state, nothing else will matter. We must unite and confront terrorism without bias.”

The Army Chief also underscored the importance of learning from past mistakes. “Everyone makes mistakes, but failing to recognize and learn from them is a bigger fault,” he said.

Regarding the National Action Plan, he praised the political consensus but called for accelerated implementation of its provisions to ensure effective action.