Those who ‘backstab’ Pakistan will get ‘befitting reply’: Army chief Asim Munir takes a dig at Iran

Taking a dig at Iran, Pakistan Military chief Gen Asim Munir has mentioned that those that “backstab” the nation will get a “befitting reply”, days after the 2 neighbours carried out tit-for-tat army strikes at alleged terrorist bases in each international locations. Throughout an interplay with college students from private and non-private sector universities nationwide right here on Wednesday, Munir talked about concerning the current missile assaults by Tehran inside Balochistan and mentioned that nobody can be allowed to breach Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, The Specific Tribune newspaper reported on Thursday.

“You can not backstab us, and when you do, you’re going to get a befitting reply,” he mentioned.

Earlier this month, Pakistan carried out “precision army strikes” towards what it known as “terrorist hideouts” in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchistan province that killed 9 individuals. The assault was seen as retaliation to Iranian missile and drone assaults which focused two bases of the Sunni Baloch militant group Jaish al-Adl in Pakistan’s unruly Balochistan province. Munir claimed that the insurgency in Balochistan has lengthy been supported by Afghanistan, and the western neighbour has by no means proven friendship in direction of Pakistan.

Afghanistan was the one nation that opposed Pakistan’s admission to the United Nations after independence, he mentioned.

Referring to the Taliban-led administration of Afghanistan, the military chief warned, “Don’t look in direction of Pakistan. We’re able to sacrifice something and every part.” “In relation to the protection and safety of each single Pakistani, the entire of Afghanistan might be damned,” he mentioned. The military chief mentioned Pakistan supplied meals for 5 million Afghan nationals for 50 years, however “in relation to our youngsters, we’ll pursue those that assault them”.

Pakistan has refused to barter with the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), whose terrorist actions in Pakistan have elevated manifold for the reason that return of the Afghan Taliban to energy in August 2021. Islamabad has additionally utilized its financial leverage to pressure Kabul to take motion towards terrorists attacking on its soil from Afghanistan.

There was a rise in militant assaults in Pakistan since November 2022, when the TTP, an in depth ally of the Afghan Taliban which seized energy in Afghanistan, ended a monthslong cease-fire with the federal government.

Through the interplay, Munir additionally dominated out reconciliation with India.

“India has not reconciled with the idea of Pakistan, then how can we reconcile with it?,” he was quoted as saying by The Specific Tribune.

The military chief briefly talked about his current go to to the US and acknowledged that in the course of the go to, he conveyed to Individuals that Pakistan is a rustic with penalties.

“There are 80 million middle-income individuals in Pakistan; with 65 per cent of its inhabitants being younger, the nation is able to reap advantages from these assets,” he mentioned.