India funding, training terrorists to foment unrest: COAS

RAWALPINDI: Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa said on Tuesday Pakistan Army, with the support of state institutions and the nation, was fully prepared to thwart all internal and external challenges facing the country.

"It is our duty to transform these challenges into opportunities for prosperity of the country and people," the COAS said while presiding over the corps commanders' conference.

The 237th corps commanders’ conference, held at the General Headquarters (GHQ), reviewed geo-strategic, regional and national security environment and discussed internal security, situation along borders, the Line of Control (LoC) and atrocities in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K). The forum also took a comprehensive overview of the positive progress in Afghan peace process. The corps commanders' conference showed serious concern in the wake of irrefutable evidence of Indian state sponsored terrorism in Pakistan and attempts to destabilise the country.

Top military brass observed that Indian efforts to sabotage China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), involvement in financing and training of terrorist organisations for fomenting unrest in Pakistan, especially in AJK, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Balochistan are an affront to peace and security in the region.

Deliberating on recent surge in ceasefire violations by the Indian army, the forum resolved to take all measures necessary to protect people living along the LoC from Indian firing, deliberately targeting the civilian population. The forum expressed strong will, resolve and determination to defend the motherland against any misadventure. The corps commanders also deliberated on COVID-19 situation and measures required to confront the pandemic in the wake of the second wave. The COAS specifically directed all commanders to ensure measures to support the national effort.