Daily Times

LAHORE/QUETTA: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Bajwa hoisted the largest national flag at Wagah Border on the eve of Pakistan’s 70th anniversary.

The flag, made entirely in Pakistan, was hoisted on a 400-feet pole at midnight. The size of the flag is 120 feet by 80 feet.

According to reports, the flag is the highest in South Asia and the 8th highest in the world.

“Today, the country is progressing on the path of the law and the constitution. All institutions are working properly. We will make Pakistan the country of Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal,” the top general said.

“We have rendered many sacrifices – we will never forget our martyrs. We will execute each and every terrorist in Pakistan. I want to tell our enemies, whether they are in the east or west, that your bullets will end but not the chests of our jawans.”

Acknowledging Pakistan’s “internal and external challenges”, the COAS said, “I assure you that we will never let you down. Any power that will aim to weaken Pakistan, the Pakistan Army and all other institutions will foil their attempts.”

“Despite limited resources we have proved ourselves and are now on our path to development,” he added.

Earlier, the COAS visited Quetta to take part in funeral prayers of officials martyred in a suicide bombing on Saturday.

The top general also inquired after the injured at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH). Later, he was briefed about the incident at the Southern Command headquarters. The COAS reiterated that the fight against terrorism would continue until enduring peace and stability were achieved.

“There is a need to have synergy between efforts of all the state institutions to defeat terrorism in totality,” he said, adding, “The Pakistani nation would celebrate Independence Day to “honour the sacrifices of all ‘Shuhada-e-Pakistan’ [made] for a peaceful and prosperous Pakistan.”

Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal visited the injured of the blast after which he held a joint press conference with Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri.

“We all have to work together to secure the country’s future,” Iqbal said, adding that this was not the time for politics. “It is a time to fight terrorism.”

“We will not bow down before terrorists,” added Zehri.

Gen Bajwa, condemning the terrorist attack soon after it took place, had termed it an attempt to “mar Independence Day festivity” in the city and declared that “our resolve won’t succumb to any challenge”.

The army chief said that the fight against terrorism will continue until peace is achieved and all state institutions need to cooperate with each other to defeat terrorism.

Published in Daily Times, August 14^th 2017.