Addressing graduating cadets of 127th PMA Long Course, Integrated Course 46 and Mujahid Course-1 at Pakistan Military Academy at Kakul on Saturday, Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani said that Pakistan was fully capable of responding effectively to any threat despite the current focus on internal security. “Pakistan is a peace loving country. Our quest for peace is essentially based on a genuine desire to improve our lot and that of our future generations. Let no one see it as a weakness”, the COAS put a three-pronged message for the world at large and immediate neighbours in particular.

He added that the armed forces remained fully prepared to defeat the enemies within and without. The resolve of the army chief despite the Pakistan Army’s engagement in the tribal belt to combat extremism and militancy and partial deployment in Balochistan and Karachi augers well for national interest. The credit of the assemblies completing their constitutional five-year tenure for the first time in the country’s history also goes to the armed forces and their leadership which preferred to carry forward a democratic agenda despite political hiccups and opportunities to step in on a number of occasions between 2008 and 2013.

The country’s armed forces have yet again shown their willingness to come to the aid of the civil administration in the quest for peaceful conduct of the May 11 polls. It may be pertinent to mention here that the armed forces have willingly offered a sizeable deployment on the polling day after the Election Commission of Pakistan declared as many as 20,000 polling stations across the country as sensitive. This resolve reflects the determination to help the country successfully complete a democratic transition to ensure consolidation of democracy in particular and state institutions in general. His observations that Pakistan was at present passing through difficult times but so has every other successful nation at some time in their history, is a testimony of this resolve. Pakistan Army, the COAS said, was fully committed to the cause and was as always standing with the nation. He assured the people that armed forces would succeed if they remained committed to the basis for the creation of Pakistan and remained steadfast as a nation.

However, Gen Kayani also chose the moment to make certain belligerent external forces to respect the Pakistani sentiment; not forgetting the skill of the forces to make a matching response of some very offensive statements in recent months. Although he made no specific references, it is broadly understood to be the Indian military hostilities across the Line of Control in January this year. The COAS said, “We have exercised restraint. Let it suffice to say that Pakistan is fully capable of responding effectively to any threat. Despite our current focus on internal security, we remain fully prepared to defeat an external direct threat.”

He said let there be no doubt that with a strong Pak Army and the nation standing behind it, no harm could ever come to Pakistan. He said that regardless of odds, Pakistan Army would keep on doing its best towards its common dream for a truly Islamic Republic of Pakistan as envisioned by the Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal. Referring to the Islamic provisions of the 1973 Constitution, Gen Kayani said Islam should serve as the most substantial bond to knit the nation, ensure the country’s socio-economic development as the basis of the creation of Pakistan that could not be taken out from its body politic. He said that in its short history, the country has overcome many a challenges that would have overwhelmed lesser nations; this is the country’s real potential, he sounded optimistic about the country’s future. He was confident that the nation can do it again.
The nation hopes that he is right.

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