Support for the army

The federal cabinet has won the hearts of all patriotic Pakistanis by promoting the brave, courageous and bold army chief General Asim Munir to the highest rank of field marshal in recognition of his dynamic leadership in the Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos and during the critical period of conflict against India known as Marka-e-Haq.

As patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Hindu Council, I congratulate General Asim Munir from the bottom of my heart and hope that under his inspiring leadership, our armed forces will always prove to be a bulwark against those who try to cast a malicious eye on our beloved motherland, Pakistan.

Pakistan’s armed forces have undoubtedly impressed the world with their excellent professional skills, outstanding defensive strategy, remarkable technical expertise, and impressive military response to the recent clash that occurred on the Pakistan-India border. The international media is still surprised as to how Pakistan, which is facing severe internal challenges and economic crisis, has demonstrated its military power and diplomatic capabilities against a country that is being labelled one of the most influential players on the global stage.

For the past few years, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has presented an image of India to the international community, especially the Western powers, as a competitor to the world’s second-largest economic power, China. The Modi government has consistently adopted an offensive attitude towards Pakistan. In his speeches, Modi has repeatedly convinced his extremist voters that India’s real competition is with China and that he does not consider Pakistan worthy of even mentioning its name.

The increase in border tensions after the Pahalgam attack had created an atmosphere of widespread anxiety and uncertainty, but COAS General Asim Munir, who significantly increased Pakistan’s military defence capabilities, had determined a clear and effective strategy, based on his vast experience, for safeguarding Pakistan.

On May 3, as soon as the surface-to-surface Abdali ballistic missile, which has a range of 450 kilometres, rose into the air, the morale of the Pakistani people, along with the brave soldiers of the armed forces, also rose higher and higher. Two days later, on May 5, the Fateh missile, with a range of 120 km, made the future military scenario very clear that Pakistan is ready to accept and not going to be intimidated by anyone.

COAS General Asim Munir ensured all possible collaboration with the federal government at such a critical stage. Initially, Pakistan responsibly showed patience and tolerance during the Indian aggression. During Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos, modern fighter jets acquired from China played a key role in maintaining the balance of power. With the downing of the French-made Rafale, which was considered invincible, the neighbouring country’s dream of achieving military dominance was poorly shattered, and its remaining warplanes were forced to hide 300 km behind the border in panic.

I believe that US President Trump’s mention of the Pakistan-India ceasefire and the Kashmir issue is an undeniable proof of the success of Pakistan’s defence capabilities and diplomatic understanding. The international community has now finally realised the fact that the dream of regional peace cannot be fulfilled without resolving the long-standing issue of Kashmir, and the flame of war between the two nuclear powers can flare up again at any time.

The government of Pakistan has clearly communicated that General Asim Munir, with his expertise in various significant geostrategic matters, including military operations and intelligence, is no longer only the head of the army. As the field marshal, he has also taken over the command of other armed forces, including the air force and the navy.

The promotion of General Asim Munir also reflects his professionalism and firm determination to safeguard our beloved country. This is an encouraging message for the entire country that the Pakistani armed forces, under the field marshal, are vigilant about ensuring Pakistan’s security and sovereignty. Today, every patriotic minority citizen of Pakistan feels proud of this promotion and prays that God Almighty bless General Asim Munir with more successes.

The writer is a member of the National Assembly and patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Hindu Council. He tweets/posts @RVankwani