Pak Army Chief Says Afghanistan ‘Can be Damned’, Warns Iran Against Backstabbing

Pakistan army chief General Syed Asim Munir said the life of a single Pakistani citizen is more important than the entire Afghanistan this week during a discussion with students from public and private sector universities of the country.

“When it comes to the safety and security of every single Pakistani, the whole of Afghanistan can be damned. (We have provided food to Afghanistan for 50 years but) when it comes to our children, we will pursue those who attack them,” Munir said.

Munir also ruled out reconciliation with India. “India has not reconciled with the concept of Pakistan, then how can we reconcile with it,” he said.

Munir accused Afghanistan of aiding the insurgency in Balochistan and said it was never friendly towards Pakistan. He also said that Afghanistan opposed Pakistan’s entry to the UN after Pakistan’s birth.

“Our people do not read history. Do not look towards Pakistan. We are ready to sacrifice anything and everything,” Munir said.

Pakistan, after decades of providing shelter to Taliban and helping them retake control of Afghanistan in 2021 after US exit, has fallen out with the terrorist group which rules Afghanistan now because the latter has show reluctance in reining in the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), whose actions have unleashed a new wave of terror in Pakistan, leading to the killings civilians and armed forces in several terrorist attacks in the past two to three years.

General Munir warned Iran against backstabbing the neighbour while referring to the missile attacks on Jaish-al-Adl’s bases in Balochistan. “You cannot backstab us, and if you do, you will get a befitting reply,” he said, reiterating that no one would be allowed to breach Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he was quoted as saying by Pakistan-based newspaper The Tribune.

“No one would be allowed to breach Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Munir further added. “Are the neighbours of Afghanistan, India, and Iran happy? The answer is no,” Munir said when asked about instability around Pakistan’s security situation.

He highlighted that the Panjgur attack and the retaliatory strikes marked the swiftest de-escalation and normalisation of relations between two nations in history. This includes the reestablishment of ambassadorial ties and an upcoming visit by the Iranian foreign minister next week.