RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Army’s top brass on Thursday vowed to provide all “requisite and necessary support” to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for the conduct of upcoming general elections, scheduled for February 8, 2024 in the country, the military’s media wing said on Thursday.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), in a statement, the army affirmation was made during the two-day-long 261st Corps Commanders’ Conference (CCC) — held at the General Headquarters, with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir in the chair.
“Forum noted that requisite and necessary support will also be extended to Election Commission of Pakistan for forthcoming general elections,” the military’s media wing said.
‘Ongoing Actions Illegal Economic Activities Reviewed’
The high-level moot took a “holistic review” of the government’s ongoing actions against smuggling, money laundering, power theft and hoarding of essential items amongst other illegal economic activities.
“Pakistan Army will continue to provide all-out support to relevant government institutions and LEAs (law enforcement agencies) to curb such crimes,” the ISPR said.
It added that the forum was briefed on the operational preparedness of formations and Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir (COAS) stressed the need for “continuously maintaining operational excellence in cognitive and physical realms and pursuit of high standards of motivation and training”.
The meeting’s participants further reiterated their support for the government’s ongoing efforts to promote socioeconomic growth and encourage foreign investment under the umbrella of the Special Investment Facilitation Council.
The forum also expressed full solidarity with Palestinians and condemned the “serious human rights violations and war crimes” being perpetrated in the Gaza Strip by the Israeli military after the October 7 surprise Hamas attack.
The military moot reiterated the government’s stance of demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and a peaceful resolution to the ongoing crisis.
Terrorists to be dealt with ‘full might of state’
Separately, the forum addressed the issue of rising terrorism in the country and resolved that “all terrorists, their facilitators and abettors, working on the behest of hostile forces to destablise Pakistan will be dealt with full might of the state.”
The army moot also reiterated the military’s resolve to “defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan against direct and indirect threats”.
The ISPR said the participants were briefed on the prevalent geo-strategic environment, the challenges to national security and the army’s strategy in response to the evolving threat.
“The sanctuaries and liberty of action available to the terrorists of proscribed TTP (Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan) and other groups of that ilk in a neighbouring country and availability of latest weapons to the terrorists were noted as serious points of concern impacting security of Pakistan,” the ISPR said.
The forum paid tribute to the “supreme sacrifices” of martyrs such as officers and men of the armed forces, LEAs and citizens who laid their lives to ensure peace and stability in the country.
The participants also offered prayers for the martyrs, including those of the Dera Ismail Khan attack.
Ahead of the much-awaited polls, several political actors have warned that there are security threats to the February 8 elections and given the recent rise in terrorism, they demanded that the law and order situation should be conducive.
Militancy has surged in the country ever since the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) called off its truce with Islamabad and began targeting military personnel, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan.
Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies’ data shows that shows that there were 623 militant attacks in 2023, compared to 380 such attacks in 2022. Among total attacks in the outgoing year, 29 were suicide attacks; whereas in 2022, 15 were suicide attacks.
But to ensure the law and order situation, the election commission had demanded the army to be deployed at polling stations in static and quick response force modes — to which the military has now seemingly agreed.
Gaza and Kashmir
The Army Commanders expressed serious concern on continued repression and human rights violations by Indian military forces in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), the ISPR said.
The Forum expressed serious concern over continued repression and reprehensible human rights’ violations by Indian military forces in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The recent acts of abduction, torture and killing of civilians by the Indian Army were unequivocally condemned by the participants. Such acts constitute grave crimes against humanity and cannot dampen the spirit of the brave Kashmiris who are struggling for their lawful right of self- determination. Pakistan would keep supporting its Kashmiri brethren with all political, moral and diplomatic support for resolution of Kashmir issue according to international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
The forum expressed full solidarity with the people of Palestine and condemned serious human rights’ violations and war crimes being perpetrated in Gaza while reiterating Government’s stance of demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and peaceful resolution of the ongoing conflict, the ISPR added.
