Latest news with #Marka-e-Haq
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Govt declares Baloch terror groups, organizations as ‘Fitna al Hindustan'
The federal government on Saturday ordered all state institutions to refer to militant groups operating in its restive Balochistan province as 'Fitna al Hindustan', accusing India of sponsoring a proxy war through these insurgents. According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Interior on Saturday, the move stems from 'the involvement of some organizations and groups in terrorist activities in Balochistan, which are detrimental to Islamic faith, the sovereignty of Pakistan, and its customary traditions.' The notification further stated that the new designation is intended to reflect 'the true nature and ideology' of these groups and their 'nefarious designs' allegedly sponsored by India. Read more: Pakistan labels TTP as 'Fitna al-Khawarij' to expose its true ideology 'All government entities are directed to start the above practice immediately,' the notification said, underscoring a concerted effort to reframe the narrative around insurgent violence in the province. The announcement came as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif accused India of escalating indirect aggression after what he described as its defeat in a recent security operation dubbed 'Marka-e-Haq'. Accuding India of intensifying a proxy terrorism campaign in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan, he said, 'India, after suffering strategic setbacks, has resorted to indirect aggression'. 'But Pakistan will thwart all such nefarious designs and stand resolute against Fitna al Hindustan and its proxies.' A day earlier, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir had also addressed the ongoing unrest in Balochistan, stating that insurgent groups there were not indigenous but rather acting on behalf of foreign interests. 'These terrorists are not Baloch. They are agents of disruption sponsored by India,' the army chief said, reiterating the armed forces' stance that separatist violence in the province is externally instigated. Also read: Won't accept India's hegemony: COAS The government's decision to adopt a new label for Balochistan-based insurgents mirrors a similar move last year, when the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was officially designated 'Fitna al-Khawarij'. At that time, the Ministry of Interior said the term 'Khariji' was chosen to expose what it described as the TTP's misrepresentation of Islam.
Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Nuclear weapons plan remains ‘sole guarantor of peace in SA': Adviser
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's nuclear weapons programme remains the 'sole guarantor of peace and stability in South Asia,' said Lt Gen Khalid Ahmed Kidwai (retired), Adviser to the National Command Authority, on Friday. He made these remarks at a seminar hosted by the Center for International Strategic Studies (CISS) to mark the 27th anniversary of Pakistan's 1998 nuclear tests, widely commemorated as Youm-e-Takbeer. This year's observance assumed added significance in the aftermath of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan. Indian military actions, including Operation Sindoor, were widely criticised by speakers at the event as reckless provocations designed to test Pakistan's thresholds in a nuclearised environment. Pakistan responded with a series of precise retaliatory measures under Operation Bunyan un Marsoos, part of the broader Marka-e-Haq campaign. Experts at the seminar said the response reasserted deterrence, restored strategic balance, and marked what they described as a 'decisive paradigm shift' in the regional balance. 'It showcased Pakistan's credible nuclear capability and reaffirmed that this deterrent —operationalised through Full Spectrum Deterrence (FSD) — serves as the cornerstone of peace and strategic stability in South Asia,' said one speaker, adding that the mini-war underscored the deterrent's enduring role in preserving peace. The seminar featured senior officials and strategic thinkers, including Ambassador SohailMahmood, Director General of the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI); Muhammad Naeem, former Chairman of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC); Dr Adil Sultan, Dean of Air University; and Brig Dr Zahirul Haider Kazmi (retired), Adviser on Arms Control at the Strategic Plans Division (SPD). Speakers observed a pattern in India's behaviour — using false flag operations as a casus belli to justify limited strikes against Pakistan while disregarding the prevailing nuclear environment. They warned that such actions risk dangerous miscalculations. They emphasised that Pakistan's nuclear capability is a strategic necessity that has effectively deterred full-scale war, even as threats have evolved in complexity and domain. The panel stressed that Pakistan now possesses a comprehensive toolkit of both kinetic and non-kinetic options to respond to any future Indian provocations, and that its response will follow a Quid Pro Quo Plus (QPQ+) approach — swift, proportionate, and precise — designed to neutralize aggression and compel de-escalation. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
India's 'hydro terrorism' untenable: COAS
Pakistan will never be coerced, and all inimical designs to derail the country's counterterrorism efforts will be "comprehensively defeated," Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir said on Friday, warning against India's "unlawful and legally untenable hydro terrorism," calling for a peaceful resolution to the Kashmir dispute to ensure strategic stability in South Asia. According to the military's media wing, the army chief made these remarks during his visit to Command and Staff College Quetta, where he addressed student officers and faculty members, touching upon operational readiness, regional stability, and Pakistan's national security doctrine. "Pakistan's enemies will fail in their attempts to distract us from our focus on counterterrorism," Field Marshal Munir was quoted as saying by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), adding that the nation stands united in the defence of its sovereignty. He also underscored the need for a peaceful resolution to the internationally recognised Kashmir dispute. The remarks come amid recent tensions between Pakistan and India following a series of military engagements triggered by the deadly Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists. India blamed Pakistan without evidence, prompting a chain of events that escalated into full-fledged cross-border hostilities. India's use of force was met with a calibrated military response under Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, which targeted Indian air assets, ammunition depots, and missile bases along the Line of Control and beyond. The operation formed part of a broader campaign, Marka-e-Haq, which ran from May 7 to May 10. Paying tribute to the martyrs of the operation, the COAS said the people of Pakistan had become a "wall of steel" under national leadership. "Marka-e-Haq is a testimony to our resolve, unity, and complete synergy among all elements of national power," he said, adding, "Allah's help comes to those nations that stand for the truth and fight with unity." Highlighting the changing nature of modern warfare, the COAS said Pakistan's military remained prepared to respond across the full spectrum of conflict. He particularly criticised India's growing tendency to resort to unprovoked military aggression, cautioning that strategic stability in South Asia was increasingly fragile and hinged on justice, especially in Kashmir.
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Field marshal warns India against untenable ‘hydro terrorism'
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir addresses during during his visit to Command and Staff College Quetta on Friday, May 30, 2025. Photo: ISPR Listen to article Pakistan will never be coerced, and all inimical designs to derail the country's counterterrorism efforts will be 'comprehensively defeated,' Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir said on Friday, warning against India's 'unlawful and legally untenable hydro terrorism,' calling for a peaceful resolution to the Kashmir dispute to ensure strategic stability in South Asia. According to the military's media wing, the army chief made these remarks during his visit to Command and Staff College Quetta, where he addressed student officers and faculty members, touching upon operational readiness, regional stability, and Pakistan's national security doctrine. 'Pakistan's enemies will fail in their attempts to distract us from our focus on counterterrorism,' Field Marshal Munir was quoted as saying by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), adding that the nation stands united in the defence of its sovereignty. He also underscored the need for a peaceful resolution to the internationally recognised Kashmir dispute. Read more: Won't accept India's hegemony: COAS The remarks come amid recent tensions between Pakistan and India following a series of military engagements triggered by the deadly Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists. India blamed Pakistan without evidence, prompting a chain of events that escalated into full-fledged cross-border hostilities. India's use of force was met with a calibrated military response under Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, which targeted Indian air assets, ammunition depots, and missile bases along the Line of Control and beyond. The operation formed part of a broader campaign, Marka-e-Haq, which ran from May 7 to May 10. Paying tribute to the martyrs of the operation, the COAS said the people of Pakistan had become a "wall of steel" under national leadership. 'Marka-e-Haq is a testimony to our resolve, unity, and complete synergy among all elements of national power,' he said, adding, 'Allah's help comes to those nations that stand for the truth and fight with unity.' Highlighting the changing nature of modern warfare, the COAS said Pakistan's military remained prepared to respond across the full spectrum of conflict. He particularly criticised India's growing tendency to resort to unprovoked military aggression, cautioning that strategic stability in South Asia was increasingly fragile and hinged on justice, especially in Kashmir. Read more: Nation, army gave India taste of own medicine He also called out India for sponsoring terrorism inside Pakistan and expressed confidence in the ongoing counterterrorism drive. 'Our fight against terrorism will continue until its logical conclusion,' he stated. In his address to the student officers, Field Marshal Munir called for visionary and research-driven leadership within the armed forces. 'Training must not only reflect present-day realities but also prepare us for future battlefields that demand agility, innovation, and unwavering resolve,' he said, lauding the Command and Staff College Quetta for grooming future military leaders. Earlier, on his arrival in Quetta, the COAS was received by the Commander Quetta Corps and the Commandant of Command and Staff College.
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Won't accept India's hegemony: COAS
Listen to article Pakistan will never accept Indian hegemony in the South Asian region, said Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir while reiterating his country's stance on sovereignty amid an uneasy ceasefire between the two hostile neighbours following a recent military confrontation that threatened to spiral into a wider conflict. According to the military's media wing, the field marshal's remarks came during a wide-ranging interaction called 'Hilal Talks' held with vice chancellors, academics, and senior faculty members, where he spoke about the crucial role of educators in shaping the country's future generations. However, his address centered on Pakistan's unwavering stance on Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and growing concerns over India's regional policies. "Pakistan will never accept Indian hegemony," Field Marshal Munir was quoted as saying by the ISPR as he underscored Islamabad's resolve on key disputes, including Kashmir and transboundary water sharing. He listed water security as a national priority. "Water is Pakistan's red line, and we will not allow any compromise on this basic right of 240 million Pakistanis," he added. The statement should be seen in the backdrop of India's recent decision to "hold in abeyance" the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), a 1960 World Bank-mediated agreement governing the distribution of the Indus river system's resources. Under the treaty, Pakistan holds rights to the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab rivers, while India controls the Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej rivers. Islamabad has warned that any attempt by India to divert or obstruct Pakistan's share of water would be treated as "an act of war," with a commitment to employ all elements of national power in response. The army chief's remarks came days after a military confrontation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, triggered by "reckless and provocative missile strikes" by Indian warplanes on civilian infrastructure inside Pakistani territory. However, India was embarrassed in the escalation as six of its fighter jets, including three multibillion-dollar Rafales, were downed by Pakistan Air Force. In retaliation for the Indian aggression, Pakistan's military launched Operation Bunyanum Marsoos (The Formidable Wall), targeting India's air bases, air fields, ammunition depots, and missile stockpiles in areas along the entire Pakistan border. Operation Bunyanum Marsoos was part of Marka-e-Haq (The Battle for Truth), the official name given to the broader conflict with India from April 22 to May 10. "In Marka-e-Haq, Allah Almighty helped Pakistan at every level. "Marka-e-Haq is clear evidence that when a nation unites and stands like an iron wall, no power in the world can bring it down," Field Marshal Munir said in Thursday's interaction with the academia. "Divine help is granted to those nations that stand firmly for the truth and struggle collectively for their cause," he added. The Pakistan-India military confrontation was triggered by a deadly rampage by gunmen on the meadows of Pahalgam, in the IIOJK, in which 26 tourists were killed. Delhi blamed the incident on Pakistan without a shred of evidence and without investigation and launched the reckless military misadventure disregarding Pakistan's offer for help in impartial probe and global calls for resolving the matter diplomatically. India's gambit backfired as it brought the global spotlight back on Kashmir, the disputed Himalayan region which India stripped off its autonomous status in August 2019 through a constitutional amendment. "It is no longer possible to ignore or silence Kashmir on the global stage," Field Marshal Munir said, reiterating that Kashmir remains a core national issue that cannot be sidelined. "India must understand that Pakistan will never abandon Kashmir. There can be no compromise on this," he said, adding that India's long-standing efforts to suppress the Kashmir issue have failed. India – which accuses Pakistan of supporting terrorism – is seeking to externalise its internal problem. "Terrorism is India's internal problem, stemming from rising oppression and prejudice against minorities, especially Muslims, while Kashmir is an international issue that cannot be equated with internal matters," the army chief said. Gen Munir also spoke about the situation in Balochistan where Baloch groups, officially dubbed Fitna al Hindustan, have unleashed a wave of terror. The terrorist elements active in Balochistan are proxies acting on behalf of foreign interests, particularly India, he said. "These terrorists are not Baloch. They are agents of disruption sponsored by India." The field marshal also called for reinforcing national unity, stressing the importance of institutional integrity and constitutional governance. "We must build a strong Pakistan where all institutions function according to law, without political pressure, and for the welfare of the people," he said and urged rejection of any narrative aimed at weakening the state. Praising the role of educators, he said, "Teachers are the greatest asset of Pakistan. The responsibility of character building of future generations rests with you." He credited his own success to his parents and teachers, saying, "Whatever I am today is because of them." Participants in the session expressed their support for the armed forces, with one saying during the Q&A session: "This safe homeland exists because of the sacrifices of our armed forces." The session ended on a note of unity and resolve, with attendees pledging to stand by Pakistan's armed forces in defending the nation's sovereignty and ideals. Spanning interactive sessions and group discussions on a range of international, regional and national issues, Hilal Talks are intended to act as a forum for perspective sharing among members of Pakistan's academic community, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. During the Q&A session, participants expressed their sentiments, saying: "This safe homeland is secured by the uniform." They added: "We are proud of Pakistan and our armed forces, and we will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with them." The forum concluded with a shared commitment to work together towards a more secure and prosperous Pakistan.
