Chief of Army Staff Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa on Saturday stressed that the armed forces, with the support of the citizenry, will never allow any other country, group, or force to politically or economically destabilize Pakistan.
Addressing the passing out parade at the prestigious Pakistan Military Academy Kakul, he congratulated the cadets for successfully completing their course, adding they were entering the service at a time when the country was facing “complex and multi-faceted” challenges that required greater and more demanding responsibilities of them than their predecessors.
Good soldiers, he stressed, must always remain focused on their jobs and not get distracted by fake news and political wrangling in the country. “Respect the democratic institutions and be ready to defend the territorial integrity, sovereignty and Constitution of Pakistan with your life,” he said. “Always remain prepared and alert to respond and defeat all intrigues and conspiracies hatched against our country with an iron fist. The message is clear: The armed forces, with the support of our citizens, will never allow any country, group or force to politically or economically destabilize Pakistan,” he added.
During his brief address, the COAS noted that Pakistan is a peace-loving country that has extended sincere efforts to evolve good neighborly relations with all its neighbors and regional countries. “We are trying our best to break the political logjam which has denied the South Asian countries to move forward and resolve all regional and bilateral issues in a peaceful and dignified manner,” he said, adding the people of South Asia deserve prosperity and better living conditions that can only be achieved with sustained economic growth, development and lasting peace. “Therefore we should try to keep the flames of war away from the region,” he said, stressing that peace must be given a chance by developing a mechanism to resolve all the bilateral issues.
“Moreover, as opposed to fighting each other, we should collectively fight hunger poverty, illiteracy, population explosion, climate change and disease. The world has changed, and so should we as the price of the status quo will be devastating for all of us,” he warned, emphasizing that Pakistan’s desire for peace must not be construed as a weakness. “No one should make any mistake about our collective resolve to defend our core interests and every inch of our motherland. I must remind you that we have paid both in blood and kind to safeguard our sovereignty and integrity,” he added.
The Army chief also advised the cadets to always remember the importance of maintaining a “brave face” before their men, even if they were equally as frightened in a life-and-death situation. “The contagious energy you will instill in your men when you lead them by example and not merely by words,” he said, adding that after the country, the well-being of the troops should take precedence over the comfort of any military leader. Quoting Field Marshal Philip Walhouse Chetwode, he added: “The safety, honor and welfare of your country come first, always and every time. The honor, welfare and comfort of the men you command come next. Your own comfort and safety come last, always and every time.”