Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir last week described overseas Pakistanis as the country’s “brain gain” rather than a “brain drain,” stressing they are a source of dignity and pride.
Addressing the Pakistani diaspora during a visit to the U.S., where he attended the retirement ceremony of outgoing Commander United States Central Command (CENTCOM) General Michael Kurilla, he said overseas Pakistanis were no less passionate about their homeland than local residents.
In a back-and-forth, the Army chief urged overseas Pakistanis to be confident in a bright future for Pakistan, calling for them to help attract investments to develop the nation. Noting that Pakistan’s prosperity was linked to its diaspora globally, he recalled overseas Pakistanis had consistently helped the country in the aftermath of natural disasters.
During his address, Field Marshal Munir criticized India’s hegemonic ambitions, pointing to the neighboring state’s transnational terrorist activities, such as the killing of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada and the arrest of Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav from Balochistan.
Dubbing Indian aggression against Pakistan earlier this year a “shameful” act initiated under false pretenses, he noted it had brought the region to the brink of war. Any further miscalculation, he warned, could trigger a major conflict. He thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for helping prevent further unrest, noting his second official visit to the U.S. in less than two months marked a new dimension in ties between Islamabad and Washington. He hoped the U.S. would expand its investment in Pakistan following a trade agreement between the two states.
He warned that Pakistan would never allow India to deny it access to the Indus River, stressing the country would defend its water rights at all costs. “We will wait for India to build a dam, and when they do so, we will destroy it,” he said. “The Indus River is not the Indians’ family property. We have no shortage of resources to undo the Indian designs to stop the river,” he maintained.
The Army chief said Pakistan had successfully countered India’s discriminatory and duplicitous policies through diplomacy, while answering its provocations with determination and strength. Nonetheless, he warned, India remained set on stoking regional instability. Rubbishing India’s assertions, he said Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir was not its internal matter and remained an unfinished item on the international agenda. Reaffirming that Kashmir is Pakistan’s jugular vein, he stressed on Islamabad’s full support for relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.
During his address, Field Marshal Munir noted Pakistan’s “youth bulge,” saying it was important to understand this generation’s mindset and priorities. “Our 64% youth population is full of immense potential and will play a key role in building the future,” he said.
On terrorism, the Army chief said the state had no sympathy for such elements, vowing to bring them all to justice with full force. He said anti-state elements are using social media to spread chaos, adding several terrorist groups, including “khawarij” from Afghanistan are active against Pakistan.
Farewell visit
Earlier, the field marshal attended the retirement ceremony of outgoing Commander CENTCOM General Michael Kurilla, and the Change of Command Ceremony marking the assumption of command by Admiral Brad Cooper.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Army chief praised Gen. Kurilla’s “exemplary leadership and invaluable contributions in strengthening Pakistan-U.S. military relations” and expressed confidence that Admiral Cooper “would take this partnership forward to address shared security challenges.”