Islamabad: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir has emphasized the need for Pakistan to evolve into a "hard state" to address governance gaps, stating that these shortcomings cannot be continually compensated with the sacrifices of the armed forces lives.
During his address to the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, General Munir stressed, “We need better governance to transform Pakistan into a hard state. How long will we continue to bear immense sacrifices while operating as a soft state?”
The high-level security meeting, chaired by National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, key federal ministers, political leaders, senior military officials, and intelligence representatives. However, the meeting was boycotted by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Balochistan National Party (Mengal), and Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party.
According to an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement, the Army Chief reiterated that “nothing is more important than national security—no agenda, no movement, and no individual. Sustainable stability requires the collective efforts of all elements of national power.”
Highlighting the importance of countering terrorism, General Munir urged religious scholars to expose the “distorted interpretation of Islam propagated by extremists.”
He further stated, “This is a battle for our survival and that of future generations. If Pakistan exists, we exist. National security must take precedence over political and personal interests.”
The Army Chief sent a strong message to those who seek to destabilize the country, asserting, “Anyone who believes they can weaken Pakistan through terrorism must understand that we stand united. Not only will we defeat them, but we will also dismantle their entire network of facilitators.”
The meeting also underscored the immediate implementation of the National Action Plan and Azm-e-Istahkam strategy to strengthen security measures.
