Armed forces capable of guarding territorial sovereignty against ‘entire spectrum of threats’: COAS Munir

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir asserted armed forces were fully capable of safeguarding the “territorial integrity and sovereignty” of the country against the “entire spectrum of threats”, the military’s media affairs wing said on Tuesday.

The statement comes amid a sharp uptick in the number of attacks targeting security forces, other law enforcement agencies, and security checkpoints, particularly in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

November was the deadliest month for security personnel this year, with 68 of them martyred, and the second-deadliest in terms of overall fatalities, according to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS).

Attacks escalated after the TTP broke a fragile ceasefire agreement with the government in 2022 and vowed to target security forces. Last month, 12 security personnel were martyred after a checkpost was targeted in the Mali Khel area of KP’s Bannu.

COAS Munir visited troops participating in a field training exercise near Narowal and Sialkot today, where he was given a comprehensive brief on the objectives and conduct of the exercise, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a press release.

While visiting, Gen Munir said: “The Pakistan armed forces, with the resolute support of the nation, are fully capable of safeguarding the territorial integrity and sovereignty of our beloved motherland against the entire spectrum of threats.”

In late November, COAS Munir had reiterated the military’s firm resolve to eradicate the “illegal spectrum” undermining national security, as well as dismantle hostile terrorist networks.

Previously, the army chief has used the term “spectrum of illegal activities” to express the state’s resolve to “deny pilferage of resources and economic losses”.

Gen Munir also emphasised the critical importance of maintaining “constant preparedness” to counter any potential threats posed by adversaries, the press release added.

According to the ISPR, the army chief was received at the exercise area by Commander Gujranwala Corps and the Inspector General of Training and Evaluation.

He spent the day in the field alongside the troops, commending their “training standards, operational readiness, and high state of morale”.

The field training exercise aimed to refine professional skills and battlefield procedures essential for addressing emerging operational challenges, the ISPR noted.

During the exercise, integrated fire and manoeuvre operations were conducted by various divisions, including armour, infantry, mechanised infantry, artillery, air defence, army aviation and Anti-Tank Guided Missile units.

The exercise demonstrated the “effective employment of electronic warfare capabilities and information operations designed to disrupt enemy communications and counter disinformation strategies in a modern battlefield environment”, the statement highlighted.