ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Chief of Defense Forces and Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, on Monday said that Afghanistan must choose between Pakistan and Afghanistan-based terrorists.
“A clear message has been conveyed to the Taliban regime: they have no option except to choose between the fitna of the Kharijites or Pakistan,” the Chief of Defense Forces said.
The remarks came during his address to officers from all three armed services at General Headquarters (GHQ), Rawalpindi, where he received a tri-services guard of honor to mark his appointment as Pakistan’s first Chief of Defense Forces, according to state-run PTV News.
Pakistan uses the term “khawarij” or “kharijites” to refer to the proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, an umbrella network of armed terrorist groups.
According to a statement by the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Field Marshal Munir reiterated the extraordinary courage and conviction displayed by the Pakistani nation, particularly the professionalism of the valiant men and women of the Armed Forces of Pakistan during Marka-e-Haq.
He said that the multi-domain operations of Marka-e-Haq have become a textbook example and case study for future warfare.
The field marshal paid deep homage to the martyrs, who he said would always remain the pride of the nation.