Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir on Friday underscored that Pakistan was acting as bulwark against terrorism and the international community must realize the immense sacrifices rendered by the country.
The Army Chief expressed these remarks said this during an interactive session with a group of 38 students from Harvard University, United States hailing from nine different countries who met him here at the General Headquarters (GHQ) as part of their visit to Pakistan, according to the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).
The COAS talked about regional security issues and the Pakistan Army’s contributions to promote peace and stability in the region.
He also highlighted the rich potential of Pakistan and urged the participants to perceive the country based on their experiences during their stay.
He pointed out the human sufferings and atrocities being committed in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIJOK) and efforts to change the demographic realities of the area.
The students appreciated the COAS for providing an opportunity for a constructive interaction. Pakistan has seen an uptick in terror activities, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, after the outlawed TTP ended its ceasefire with the government in November last year. Earlier this week, six soldiers embraced martyrdom in a gun battle with terrorists in South Waziristan. Four militants were also killed in the fight. A report released in July by the think tank Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies said the first half of the current year witnessed a steady and alarming rise in terror and suicide attacks, claiming the lives of 389 people across the country. In a press conference in June, Inter-Services Public Relations Director General Maj Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that the security forces conducted 13,619 intelligence operations this year in which 1,172 terrorists were killed or arrested.
