“We [Pakistan Army] continue to support the government, whenever asked to, as per the law and guidelines of the Constitution,” the army chief said while addressing the passing out parade held at Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) Kakul, Abbottabad.

General Bajwa said that we Pakistanis have proved that we can do wonders when we keep national interest above our parochial, institutional and personal interests.

“Our fight against, terrorism, COVID-19, floods and our response to the locust threat is a testimony to both our capacity to work and deliver,” he stated.

The army chief said these are important undertakings and Pakistan Army is proud to support the nation as it has always supported especially when fighting the physical enemies of Pakistan.

“You are being asked to stand firm in very difficult times but stand you must. We must not be complacent so close to the finish line,” he said.

In a veiled reference to India, he further stated that the enemies who plotted Pakistan’s doom and destruction are watching in disdain.

“Having failed and feeling frustrated, they have now subjected us to a 24/7 hybrid war. This war is not fought in the battlefields but in the minds. In previous wars, soldiers were taking the brunt on the frontline; in this new war, however, leadership at all levels is the target.”

“Please keep in mind that not only you have to discern light from the darkness, but also protect your men from sedition. The best way to do it is to just follow the SOPs, traditions and time tested ethos of the army,” he maintained.

“Remember, we are all soldiers of Pakistan regardless of our caste, creed, sect and ethnicity and we will always stand together as one, as this is our strength,” he added.

He warned against confusing sincere critique from hybrid war.

“Most voices that might seem loud to you, come from a place of love, patriotism and trust and therefore must be heeded. We must listen to our people and apply corrections where needed,” he said adding that these voices are a proof that we are alive and well as a nation, that is moving in the right direction.

“Our strength is our strong bond with our people, Constitution of our country, democracy and the democratic values that our people follow and therefore we shall defend this bond and our democratic values to the hilt,” he said.

He underscored that peace was not an end in itself.

“Our decades of efforts will be wasted if we are unable to protect the base from where our nation will rise to the heights of economic sovereignty and ideological maturity thus truly becoming Quaid’s Pakistan”.

“Like many countries in the past, we have also subjected to wars, terrorism and economic strangulation that has broken many countries, but Alhamdulliah! we have survived. Now, it is only through the synergy and actualization of our true national potential that we shall rise and progress,” he added.