RAWALPINDI: General Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), Chief of Army Staff (COAS), visited National Counter Terrorism Center (NCTC), Pabbi yesterday and interacted with the participants of Pak - China Joint Exercise Warrior-VIII between Pakistan Army and Peoples’ Liberation Army of China.

According to military media wing, COAS was briefed on the scope & conduct of the exercise. COAS also interacted with participants of the exercise. He appreciated the professionalism and high morale of participants being displayed during the Joint Exercise.

Pak - China Joint Exercise Warrior-VIII commenced on 19 November 2024. Three weeks long Exercise in Counter Terrorism domain is 8th in the series of bilateral exercise being conducted annually. Earlier, upon arrival at NCTC Pabbi, COAS was received by Commander Rawalpindi Corps.

Earlier on 15 Nov 2024, Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir made it clear that Pakistan would not become part of any global conflict rather and continue to play its role for global peace and stability.

Addressing a special ceremony of Margalla Dialogue 2024 organised by the Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI), the COAS spoke on the topic ‘Pakistan’s Role in Peace and Stability’ and highlighted significant contributions in promoting regional harmony and international peace, Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported.

The army chief said Pakistan is playing a pivotal role in promoting peace and stability both regionally and globally. A total of 235,000 Pakistani peacekeepers have participated in UN peacekeeping missions for the maintenance of global peace, adding that 181 Pakistanis have also sacrificed their lives in this regard, he added.

Regarding challenges faced by the world, Genral Syed Asim Munir said that in recent years, the world was confronted to several challenges including the rapid spread of misinformation and disinformation being one of the major challenges. The influence of non-state actors has increased significantly due to global changes which was also a key challenge, he added.

The army chief said that the world is also witnessing immense transformations in the fields of economy, military, and technology. “Terrorism by violent non-state actors and state-sponsored entities remains a significant global challenge,” he said. He went on to say that although technology has played a crucial role in disseminating information, but it has also crucial role in rapid spread of misinformation and disinformation.

Stressing the need for comprehensive laws and regulations, General Syed Asim Munir said that without comprehensive laws and regulations, misinformation and hate speech would continue to destabilise political and social structures.

“Absence of proper regulations for freedom of expression is leading to the deterioration of moral values in societies worldwide,” he observed. The COAS said inequality, intolerance, and division on religious, sectarian, and ethnic grounds also witnessed upward trend at global level.

He said our shared goals and key challenges were included combating climate change, fighting terrorism, and ensuring global health.

Reiterating Pakistan’s unwavering resolve in the fight against terrorism, the COAS said terrorism remained a shared challenge for all humanity at the global level.

Pakistan has established a comprehensive border management regime to secure our western borders, he added. He said that the menace of ‘Fitna-al-Khwarij’ has become a haven for all terrorist organizations and proxies worldwide.

“We expect the Afghan interim government to ensure that Afghan soil is not used for terrorism against Pakistan and to take strict measures in this regard,” he said.

Published in The Daily National Courier, November, 29 2024

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