Category: 1. Pakistan

MUMBAI: Indian filmmakers are locking up the rights to movie titles that can profit from the patriotism fanned by a four-day conflict with Pakistan, which killed more than 70 people.

The nuclear-armed rivals exchanged artillery, drone and air strikes in May, after India blamed Pakistan for an armed attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir.

The fighting came to an end when US President Donald Trump announced a surprise ceasefire.

Now, some Bollywood filmmakers see an opportunity to cash in on the battle.

India tagged its military action against Pakistan “Operation Sindoor,” the Hindi word for vermilion, which married Hindu women wear on their foreheads.

The name was seen as a symbol of Delhi’s determination to avenge those widowed in the April 22 attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which sparked the hostilities.

Film studios have registered a slew of titles evoking the operation, including: “Mission Sindoor,” “Sindoor: The Revenge,” “The Pahalgam Terror,” and “Sindoor Operation.”

“It’s a story which needs to be told,” said director Vivek Agnihotri.

“If it was Hollywood, they would have made 10 films on this subject. People want to know what happened behind the scenes,” he told AFP.

Agnihotri struck box office success with his 2022 release, “The Kashmir Files,” based on the mass flight of Hindus from Kashmir in the 1990s.

The ruling right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party gave that film a glowing endorsement, despite accusations that it aimed to stir up hatred against India’s minority Muslims.

Since Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office in 2014, some critics say Bollywood is increasingly promoting his government’s ideology.

Raja Sen, a film critic and screenwriter, said filmmakers felt emboldened by an amenable government.

“We tried to wage a war and then we quietened down when Mr.Trump asked us to. So what is the valor here?” Sen told AFP of the Pakistan clashes.

Anil Sharma, known for directing rabble-rousing movies, criticized the apparent rush to make films related to the Pahalgam attack.

“This is herd mentality… these are seasonal filmmakers, they have their constraints,” he said.

“I don’t wait for an incident to happen and then make a film based on that. A subject should evoke feelings and only then cinema happens,” said Sharma.

Sharma’s historical action flick “Gadar: Ek Prem Katha” (2001) and its sequel “Gadar 2” (2023), both featuring Sunny Deol in lead roles, were big hits.

In Bollywood, filmmakers often seek to time releases for national holidays like Independence Day, which are associated with heightened patriotic fervor.

“Fighter,” featuring big stars Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone, was released on the eve of India’s Republic Day on January 25 last year.

Though not a factual retelling, it drew heavily from India’s 2019 airstrike on Pakistan’s Balakot.

The film received mixed-to-positive reviews but raked in $28 million in India, making it the fourth highest-grossing Hindi film of that year.

This year, “Chhaava,” a drama based on the life of SambHajji Maharaj, a ruler of the Maratha Empire, became the highest-grossing film so far this year.

It also generated significant criticism for fueling anti-Muslim bias.

“This is at a time when cinema is aggressively painting Muslim kings and leaders in violent light,” said Sen.

“This is where those who are telling the stories need to be responsible about which stories they choose to tell.”

Sen said filmmakers were reluctant to choose topics that are “against the establishment.”

“If the public is flooded with dozens of films that are all trying to serve an agenda, without the other side allowed to make itself heard, then that propaganda and misinformation enters the public psyche,” he said.

Acclaimed director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra said true patriotism is promoting peace and harmony through the medium of cinema.

Mehra’s socio-political drama “Rang De Basanti” (2006) won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film and was chosen as India’s official entry for the Golden Globe Awards and the Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film category.

“How we can arrive at peace and build a better society? How we can learn to love our neighbors?” he asked.

“For me that is patriotism.”

BAJAUR: Terrorists in Bajaur district have conditionally agreed to vacate civilian areas, but would not leave the district completely, sources said on Saturday.

The second round of talks between Bajaur Aman (peace) Jirga members and local terrorist leaders aimed at convincing them to leave the region ended on Saturday, said the sources.

They told Dawn that talks between the 50-member peace jirga and terrorist leaders were held in the Lowi Mamund tehsil.

The terrorists had requested a day’s time at the Friday meeting to consult their leadership over the jirga’s two-point demands — either to return to Afghanistan or retreat to the mountains if they wanted to fight the security forces, as their presence posed a serious threat to locals.

However, the sources said that no significant development took place in this crucial meeting, meant to convince the terrorist to leave the region peacefully.

The details of the meeting, which started at around 3pm and ended late on Saturday evening, have yet to be formally disclosed by the jirga’s head, to the media.

The sources said that the terrorist leaders also assured the jirga members that they would remain peaceful in the region.

According to the sources, head of the Bajaur Aman Jirga Sahibzada Haroon Rashid, who along with several members met with high-ups to inform them about the meeting’s developments, was satisfied that people would hear positive news soon.

However, Mr Rashid didn’t inform the media about the meeting’s developments till the filing of this report at 9:20pm, ‘as they were still in a meeting’.

Meanwhile, several humanitarian organisations have established relief camps in anticipation of displacement of residents from 16 areas of Lowi Mamund tehsil amid an anti-terrorist operation, sources said on Saturday.

They told Dawn that the relief camps were mostly set up by local non-governmental organisations in different safe areas of Lowi Mamund and Khar tehsils.

The sources said Al-Khidmat Foundation, JUI-F, and the Pakistan Red Crescent Society were among the organisations that had set up relief camps to facilitate those displaced from the operation-affected areas of Lowi Mamund.

They added that some well-off individuals in the district had also set up relief camps, providing food and essential commodities.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2025

“THE population is the prize.” Those familiar with counterinsurgency warfare theories will recognise the context in which David Galula coined this phrase. Galula argued that insurgency is not a military contest but a political struggle, in which both insurgents and counterinsurgents vie for the population’s support and allegiance.

Recent developments in Bajaur, where citizens are protesting against military operations and the tragic events in Tirah Valley last week, when five demonstrators were killed after security forces allegedly opened fire, must be viewed through this lens. These incidents suggest an urgent need for the state to reassess its counterterrorism (CT) strategies, which appear increasingly detached from the goal of winning hearts and minds.

In his seminal book Counterinsurgency Warfare: Theory and Practice, Galula emphasises that military force must be subordinate to political objectives. Force used without legitimacy alienates civilians and reinforces the insurgents’ narrative. It is essential to remember that insurgents do not need to win militarily; they only need to survive, avoid defeat, and steadily erode the state’s credibility in the eyes of its people.

Militants in KP’s tribal districts have been challenging the state for the past two decades. Despite numerous operational successes, security forces remain engaged in prolonged conflict, arguably with little substantive change in their tactics or strategic orientation. The prevailing operational approach remains focused on achieving military victories while largely neglecting the critical objective of winning the population’s allegiance.

This strategic oversight not only deepens mistrust among the local population but also fosters suspicion towards the counterinsurgent forces themselves, ironically serving the militants’ very aim of delegitimising the state’s presence and actions.

A lasting solution to insurgency lies not in overwhelming military force but in political strategy.

Occasionally, the security forces convene jirgas with local tribes and mobilise lashkars against militants, as was recently seen in Bajaur, where security officials sought to gain the tribesmen’s confidence regarding their CT operations. However, such engagements are infrequent and seldom integrated into a broader strategy. The dominant pattern remains one of evacuating areas and displacing local populations or conducting small- to medium-scale operations that restrict civilian movement, often without prior warning or any provision for livelihoods.

Within this framework, engagement with local communities lacks the consistency, trust-building and institutional backing necessary for a successful CT strategy. Without a deliberate reorientation towards long-term civilian support and political legitimacy, operational victories are unlikely to translate into sustainable peace.

The engagement initiative in Bajaur came only after the launch of a military offensive against militants, a sequence that undermined its effectiveness. In that operation, three civilians, including a 12-year-old boy and a young girl, were reportedly killed, and at least 12 others injured. Engagement should have come first. The local population should have been taken into confidence before deploying a heavy military contingent and imposing prolonged curfews.

Moreover, the provincial government was apparently not brought on board during this operation, further deepening mistrust among the population. The jirga in Bajaur should have been initiated by the provincial government rather than the security forces to lend greater political legitimacy and reduce the perception of unilateral action.

KP is one of Pakistan’s most critical provinces. It is grappling with severe governance challenges and widespread political discontent. The political outlook of the majority in KP often diverges from that of the power centres in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, fostering a sense of alienation and suspicion. Several districts in the province have become ungovernable due to persistent militancy. In such a context, nothing can replace the value of a consensus-based CT strategy, one that is locally rooted and politically inclusive.

The recent incident in Khyber district’s Tirah Valley mentioned earlier, illustrates the urgency of such an approach. In response, a local jirga not only demanded a formal inquiry into the killings but also called for the evacuation of civilian homes occupied by security forces within 15 days and an end to unnecessary harassment of citizens at checkpoints. These demands reflect deep-seated grievances and highlight the need for a more humane, transparent, and politically accountable approach to security operations.

Pakistan’s departure from the colonial-era counterinsurgency approach of rule by exception was shaped by a mix of military repression and divide-and-rule politics, rooted in imperial anxieties over borders, tribal autonomy and anti-colonial resistance.

The Frontier Crimes Regulation, based on collective action, was the worst legal framework, which Pakistan abandoned after seven decades. But there is still a mindset that wants to run the affairs of the tribal districts within the same framework. If someone is thinking of bringing back these laws and restoring Fata’s status, it would be a grave mistake, which can trigger anger and mistrust.

The British co-opted the maliks and used jirgas to manage conflict and secure cooperation. Tribal lashkars were at times mobilised to act on behalf of the state. However, these colonial-era approaches can be counterproductive today. Past military operations in the tribal districts have significantly transformed the region’s social structures. The forced displacement of local populations not only traumatised communities but also exposed many to urban life and alternative social models. As a result, a new middle class is emerging in these districts, one that does not identify with colonial methods of control. While a few traditional elders and religious parties, who once benefited from draconian colonial laws, may still support such approaches, they no longer represent the broader aspirations of the population.

As echoed by David Galula and reaffirmed in modern counterinsurgency doctrines, a lasting solution to insurgency lies not in overwhelming military force but in political strategy. Counterinsurgency is 80 per cent political and only 20pc military. It demands serious attention to the underlying grievances that fuel unrest, corruption, exclusion, inadequate service delivery and ethnic or sectarian marginalisation.

Military force must be applied with precision and restraint, avoiding harm to civilians, which only deepens alienation. Insurgencies are long and complex wars; tactical victories mean little without strategic consistency and political legitimacy. The most effective strategies are those that are adaptive, locally grounded and responsive to evolving realities on the ground. The wisdom distilled from decades of conflict is simple yet profound — we can’t kill our way out of an insurgency.

The writer is a security analyst.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2025

ISLAMABAD:

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir emphasised the importance of national unity, civil-military synergy, and a whole-of-nation approach in countering hybrid threats and fostering social cohesion, the military’s media wing said on Saturday.

The army chief said this during his visit to the Multan Garrison, where he reviewed the operational preparedness of the formation and presided over the induction ceremony of the Z-10ME attack helicopters into Pakistan Army Aviation.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the all-weather platform, equipped with advanced radar systems and electronic warfare capabilities, is designed for precision strike missions. It is expected to significantly enhance Pakistan Army Aviation’s operational capabilities against both aerial and ground threats.

Following the ceremony, Field Marshal Asim witnessed a live firepower demonstration by the Z-10ME helicopters at the Muzaffargarh Field Firing Ranges. The display showcased the Army’s modernised response capabilities and the integration of combined arms tactics, the ISPR said.

The COAS was received by the corps commander and briefed at the Corps Headquarters on ongoing training activities and the overall operational readiness of the formation. He expressed satisfaction over the high state of preparedness and reaffirmed the army’s unwavering commitment to defending national sovereignty and territorial integrity, the statement read.

Gen Munir also held an interactive session with members of academia and civil society, where he emphasised the importance of national unity, civil-military synergy, and a whole-of-nation approach in countering hybrid threats and fostering social cohesion, it added.

In his interaction with troops, the army chief praised their high morale, professionalism, and combat readiness. He commended the effective demonstration of battlefield tactics, reiterating the Army’s resolve to maintain an edge amid evolving threats, the statement concluded.

ISLAMABAD: After failing to obtain permission from the district administration to hold a workers’ convention on August 5, the Islamabad chapter of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has announced it will begin an unarmed but political “guerrilla struggle” from Sunday (today).

PTI Islamabad chapter head Aamir Mughal said that, under the “guerrilla struggle,” they would block various main roads and share the message of Imran Khan.

“However, workers will disperse before the arrival of police. Our goal is to record the protest and protect our workers from arrest and police torture. We know that torture is the only weapon of the ruling elite,” Mr Mughal said.

He vowed to expand this new strategy from Islamabad to the rest of the country.

It is worth mentioning that PTI has called for a protest on August 5, the day marking two years of Imran Khan’s incarceration. Imran Khan will lead the protest from jail.

Earlier this week, PTI submitted a request to the capital administration to hold a workers’ convention (jalsa) at F-9 Park on August 5.

A written application was submitted by the PTI Islamabad chapter to the office of the deputy commissioner.

The application, signed by PTI Islamabad Region President Aamir Masood Mughal and General Secretary Malik Amir Ali, stated that “On behalf of PTI Islamabad Region, we are writing this letter to seek your kind permission to organise a peaceful workers’ convention (jalsa) at Fatima Jinnah Park (F-9 Park), Islamabad on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, from 4pm to 10pm.”

The gathering, it added, was part of the party’s ongoing political activities to mobilise and engage its workers. “It will be a peaceful event aimed at energising and uniting the workers across Islamabad,” it stated.

“We assure you that all arrangements will be made in a disciplined manner, and full cooperation will be extended to the district administration and law enforcement agencies. Kindly provide us the necessary permission to use the venue and deploy security personnel to ensure the safety of all participants,” the application stated.

All SOPs, including public safety and park usage regulations, will be strictly followed. We hope for your kind cooperation and timely approval of our request, it added.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2025

RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast more rain, with wind-thundershowers in the upper and central regions of the country over the coming week. The department has asked provincial disaster management authorities and district administrations to take preventive measures against possible urban flooding.

According to the PMD, weak monsoon currents continue to move into the upper and central regions of the country and are expected to intensify from Aug 4. A westerly wave is forecast to strengthen on Aug 5. From Aug 4 to 7, rain, wind and thundershowers, with isolated heavy falls, are expected in Kashmir. In Gilgit-Baltistan, hea­vy rainfall with occasional gaps is predicted from Aug 5 to 7.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is expected to experience rain, wind and thundershowers with isolated heavy falls from Aug 4 to 7.

In Punjab and Islam­abad, rain and thundershowers, with scattered heavy falls, are predicted in several areas.

Balochistan is forecast to experience mainly hot and humid weather, al­t­h­ough rain, wind and thundershowers are expec­t­ed in northeastern and southern parts on Aug 6. Sindh is likely to see hot and humid conditions in most parts, with cloudy weather and light rain expected in coastal areas.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2025

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal in a meeting with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong discussed the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), reaffirming the resolve to strengthen industrial and business-to-business cooperation.

The minister noted that during Mr Sun’s past diplomatic tenure in Pakistan, “we transformed the CPEC from a paper plan into a multibillion-dollar reality”.

“China’s development model remains a source of inspiration for Pakistan. Learning from China’s experience, Pakistan is moving toward building an export-oriented and technology-driven economy,” he said.

Mr Iqbal added that the government’s “Five Es” framework, part of the URAAN Pakistan initiative, is fully aligned with the vision for the next phase of CPEC, which will have industrial and technological sectors as its key pillars.

“The people of Pakistan take pride in the everlasting friendship with the leadership and people of China,” Mr Iqbal said, while also appreciating the country’s support during recent regional tensions.

Mr Iqbal stressed that developing a skilled, educated workforce and promoting business-to-business collaboration is a focus for next stage of the multi-billion-dollar project.

Mr Sun reaffirmed China’s strong commitment to enhancing cooperation with Pakistan across various sectors.

He said Pakistan’s “Five Es” framework offers a promising path toward economic stability and self-reliance.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2025

• Report says faulty intelligence about range of PL-15 missile gave Rafale pilots ‘false sense of security’
• Pakistani officials say electronic assault on Indian communications systems reduced situational awareness

ISLAMABAD: India’s intelligence failure was central to the hour-long air battle between Pakistan and India in May, which led to the downing of Rafale aircraft by the Pakistan Air Force’s J-10 fighters using PL-15s missiles, according to a report.

Reuters interviews with two Indian officials and three of their Pakistani counterparts found that the performance of the Rafale wasn’t the key problem: central to its downing was an Indian intelligence failure concerning the range of the China-made PL-15 missile fired by the J-10 fighter. China and Pakistan are the only countries to operate both J-10s, known as Vigorous Dragons, and PL-15s.

The faulty intelligence gave the Rafale pilots a false sense of confidence that they were out of Pakistani firing distance, which they believed was only around 150km, the Indian officials said, referring to the widely cited range of PL-15’s export variant.

“We ambushed them,” the PAF official said, adding that Islamabad conducted an electronic warfare assault on Delhi’s systems in an attempt to confuse Indian pilots. Indian officials dispute the effectiveness of those efforts.

“The Indians were not expecting to be shot at,” said Justin Bronk, air warfare expert at London’s Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) think-tank. “And the PL-15 is clearly very capable at long range.” The PL-15 that hit the Rafale was fired from around 200km away, according to Pakistani officials, and even farther according to Indian officials. That would make it among the longest-range air-to-air strikes recorded.

India’s defence and foreign ministries did not return requests for comment about the intelligence mistakes. Delhi hasn’t acknowledged a Rafale being shot down, but France’s air chief told reporters in June that he had seen evidence of the loss of that fighter and two other aircraft flown by India, including a Russian-made Sukhoi. A top Dassault executive also told French lawmakers that month that India had lost a Rafale in operations, though he didn’t have specific details.

Account of aerial battle

Reuters spoke to eight Pakistani and two Indian officials to piece together an account of the aerial battle, which marked the start of four days of fighting between the two nuclear-armed neighbours that caused alarm in Washington. The officials all spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss national security matters.

Not only did Islamabad have the element of surprise with its missiles’ range, the Pakistani and Indian officials said, but it managed to more efficiently connect its military hardware to surveillance on the ground and in the air, providing it with a clearer picture of the battlefield. Such networks, known as “kill chains,” have become a crucial element of modern warfare.

Four Pakistani officials said they created a “kill chain,” or a multi-domain operation, by linking air, land and space sensors. The network included a Pakistani-developed system, Data Link 17, which connected Chinese military hardware with other equipment, including a Swedish-made surveillance plane, two Pakistani officials said.

The system allowed the J-10s flying closer to India to obtain radar feeds from the surveillance plane cruising further away, meaning the Chinese-made fighters could turn their radars off and fly undetected, according to experts. Pakistan’s military did not respond to requests for comment on this point.

Delhi is trying to set up a similar network, the Indian officials said, adding that their process was more complicated because the country sourced aircraft from a wide range of exporters.

Retired UK air marsahl Greg Bagwell, now a fellow at RUSI, said the episode didnt conclusively prove the superiority of either Chinese or Western air assets but it showed the importance of having the right information and using it.

The winner in this was the side that had the best situational awareness, said Mr Bagwell.

Change in tactics

After India in the early hours of May 7 struck targets in Pakistan that it called terrorist infrastructure, the PAF chief ordered his squadrons to switch from defence to attack.

Five PAF officials said India had deployed some 70 planes, which was more than they had expected and provided Islamabad’s PL-15s with a target-rich environment. India has not said how many planes were used.

Five Pakistani officials said an electronic assault on Indian sensors and communications systems reduced the situational awareness of the Rafale’s pilots.

The two Indian officials said the Rafales were not blinded during the skirmishes and that Indian satellites were not jammed. But they acknowledged that Pakistan appeared to have disrupted the Sukhoi, whose systems Delhi is now upgrading.

In the aftermath of the episode, India’s deputy army chief Lt. Gen. Rahul Singh accused Pakistan of receiving live inputs from China during the battles, implying radar and satellite feeds.

He did not provide evidence and Islamabad denies the allegation.

Beijing’s air chief Lt Gen Wang Gang, however, visited Pakistan in July to discuss how Islamabad had used Chinese equipment to put together the “kill chain for the Rafale, two PAF officials said.

The Pakistani military said in a statement in July that Wang had expressed “keen interest in learning from PAF’s battle-proven experience in Multi Domain Operations.”

The hour-long fight, which took place in darkness, involved some 110 aircraft, experts estimate, making it the world’s largest air battle in decades. The J-10 jets shot down at least one Rafale, Reuters reported in May, citing the US officials.

Its downing surprised many in the military community and raised questions about the effectiveness of Western military hardware against untested Chinese alternatives. Shares of Dassault, which makes the Rafale, dipped after reports that the fighter had been shot down.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2025

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram said that the regime, terrified by the prospect of the incarcerated PTI Patron-in-Chief Imran Khan’s children returning to Pakistan, resorted to blatant “lies” — a clear reflection of its weakness.

In a statement on Saturday, PTI CIS lashed out at the government for labelling the PTI founder’s sons as foreigners. He made it clear that they were Pakistani nationals who possessed National Identity Cards for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOPs), and therefore have every legal and constitutional right to visit Pakistan and see their father.

“The oppressive and tyrannical government was forced to lie out of fear of Imran Khan’s children coming to Pakistan, which shows how weak and cowardly they are,” Mr Waqas stated.

He emphasised that both were issued tracking numbers for their visa applications submitted to the Pakistan High Commission in London — with Sulaiman’s tracking ID being 88005575178 and Kasim’s 88005575782.

Asserts both are Pakistanis, shares details of visa, NICOP applications

He said applications for both visas and NICOPs have been submitted, and while the issuance of NICOPs may take several weeks from Pakistan, visas can be granted within a matter of hours.

The high commissioner intimated a friend of Mr Khan’s family, who spoke to him that he needed clearance from the Ministry of Interior, the PTI leader claimed.

He said the boys were contacting the embassy through normal routes, and there was no response.

The interior ministry in an official statement claimed it had nothing to do with visa issuance. Then the government claimed, “visa applications have not been received”, he remarked.

The party leader also formally released details about NICOP status of Kasim and Sulaiman as issued by the government.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2025

RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Army has indu­cted Z-10ME attack helicopters to reinforce its “inte­grated battlefield resp­onse”, the Inter-Serv­ices Public Relations (ISPR) said on Saturday.

The Aviation Industry Corporation of China had displayed its Z-10 attack helicopter for the first time outside its home country at the Singapore Airshow in February 2024, according to Reuters. It also noted that as of then, the model had Pakistan as the only known export customer, but no sales had been announced at the air show.

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir presided over the induction ceremony and later witnessed a firepower demonstration by the “newly inducted Z-10­ME helicopters” at the Muz­af­fargarh Field Firing Ran­ges, the ISPR said in a press release, without spec­ifying the number of the craft acquired.

“The induction of this potent system marks a major leap in the modernisation of Army Aviation, reinforcing its integrated battlefield response and capacity to deliver decisive effects against potential adversaries,” the military’s media affairs wing noted.

Earlier in 2021, it was reported that China sent three of its Z-10 helicopter gunships for trials in Pakistan, but they failed to sufficiently impress officials and were returned. However, former Australian defence attaché to Islamabad, Brian Cloughley, had said it was “likely that the Pakistan Army will evaluate the Chinese Z-10ME attack helicopter”. The ISPR highlighted: “This state-of-the-art, all-weather platform is capable of precision strike operations day and night.

“Equipped with advanced radar systems and cutting-edge electronic warfare suites, the Z-10ME significantly enhances the army’s capability to engage diverse aerial and ground threats.”

Interacting with troops at the Muzaffargarh firing ranges, COAS Munir lauded their exceptional morale, professionalism, and combat proficiency. He appreciated the “successful demonstration of combined arms tactics, reflecting the army’s firm resolve to maintain a decisive edge in the evolving character of warfare”.

Separately, Field Marshal Munir stressed the importance of national unity and civil-military synergy in countering “hybrid threats”.

He made the remarks as he engaged with members of academia and civil society during an interactive session, following his visit to Multan Garrison. “He underscored the significance of national unity, civil-military synergy and a whole-of-nation approach in countering hybrid threats and fostering societal cohesion,” the ISPR statement read.

At the garrison, COAS Munir was briefed on the formation’s operational preparedness and ongoing training activities, the report added. He reaffirmed the army’s “unwavering commitment to safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity”. The army chief expressed satisfaction over the high standards of readiness.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2025