Daily Times

The country’s top military leadership has resolved that restraint will no longer be exercised against planners, instigators, abettors and perpetrators of May 9 attacks on army installations following the arrest of PTI chief Imran Khan.

This was decided during a Special Corps Commanders Conference (CCC) presided over by COAS General Syed Asim Munir at GHQ on Monday, military’s media wing, the ISPR, said in a statement.

“Based on the irrefutable evidence collected so far, armed forces are well aware of the planners, instigators, abettors and perpetrators of these attacks and attempts to create distortions in this regard are absolutely futile,” it maintained. The forum expressed firm resolve that those involved in these heinous crimes against the military installations and personal/equipment will be brought to justice through trials under relevant laws of Pakistan including Pakistan Army Act and Official Secret Act. The forum resolved that “restraint will no longer be exercised against perpetrators, spoilers and violators who attack military installations and setups under any circumstances”.

The forum was briefed that a well-coordinated arson plan involving desecration of Shuhada pictures, monuments, burning down of historical buildings and vandalism of military installations was executed to malign the institution and provoke it towards giving an impulsive reaction. The top military brass condemned, in the strongest possible sense, these politically motivated and instigated incidents against military installations and public and private properties. The commanders also communicated the anguish and sentiments of the rank and file of the army on these unfortunate and unacceptable incidents.

The special corps commanders conference also showed concern over “externally sponsored and internally facilitated, orchestrated propaganda warfare, unleashed against the army leadership, meant to create fissures between armed forces and people of Pakistan, and within rank and file of the armed forces.” It said the vicious propaganda of such inimical forces will be defeated with the support of people of Pakistan, who have always stood with the armed forces during all odds. The forum stressed the need of strict implementation of relevant laws to penalise the violators of the social media rules and regulations. The forum also emphasised need of national consensus amongst all stakeholders to address ongoing political instability at priority so as to restore public confidence, reinvigorate economic activity and strengthen democratic process. The forum also resolved to support all such efforts to reach this much needed consensus.

It was also decided that the “Pakistan Army with the full support of people of Pakistan, will defeat all nefarious designs of the enemies of Pakistan, Insha Allah”. The participants on the occasion paid rich tribute to the Shuhada, who have laid their lives in defence of the motherland while fighting the menace of terrorism. The forum acknowledged the successful counter-terrorism and Intelligence Based Operations (IBOs) in the country by security forces, especially valiant response given by the troops in the Muslim Bagh attack, and paid rich tribute to the supreme sacrifices made by the brave sons of the soil. The forum was briefed in detail about the prevailing internal and external security environment and it took comprehensive stock of the law and order situation in the past few days that was created to achieve vested political interests.