Asim Munir (File photo)
Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir on Tuesday warned that any violation of the country’s territorial integrity will be met with a firm and decisive response.Addressing the participants of the 17th National Workshop Balochistan at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, Munir also said that all necessary actions are being taken to pursue terrorists and rid the restive province of this menace.“While Pakistan seeks regional peace and stability, any violation of its territorial integrity, direct or indirect, will be met with a firm and decisive response to safeguard the lives and well-being of its citizens,” Munir was quoted as saying by a statement issued by the army.He said that Balochistan is the pride of Pakistan, endowed with highly vibrant, resilient and patriotic people who are its true wealth. He also highlighted the federal and provincial governments’ development initiatives, being undertaken to uplift the socio-economic landscape of Balochistan through a people-centric approach.Acknowledging the constructive role of civil society, particularly in engaging and empowering the youth, he underscored their pivotal role in sustainable development, negating vested political agendas in the interest of long-term prosperity in the restive Balochistan.The workshop was organised by the government to apprise the participants, who came from different walks of life, about the different challenges faced by the people of Balochistan and the efforts being made by the officials to address those challenges.Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – both of which share a porous border with Afghanistan – faced the brunt of the terrorism incidents, accounting for more than 96% of the total violence across the country.
