Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Asim Munir on Monday assured that the military would fully cooperate for Pakistan’s economic progress, state media PTV News reported.

“As an institution, we assure of our diligent cooperation for Pakistan’s economic progress,” he said while speaking at the National Seminar on Food Security and Agriculture in Islamabad, the report said.

The seminar was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, federal ministers, chief ministers of Punjab and Sindh, agriculture experts, farmers, foreign dignitaries and potential investors and experts from the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, China, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and other countries, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a separate statement.

The statement added the army chief assured during his address today that the military would fully support all initiatives being taken under the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), including the Green Pakistan Initiative inaugurated at the seminar.

“All of us have gathered here to make Pakistan prosperous again,” he said, according to PTV News.

Gen Munir added that God had bestowed on the country several blessings and that its nation was a capable one. “The need [now] is to collectively contribute to its progress,” he added.

“Pakistan has every capability to reach the top,” he said, adding that “no power in the world can impede its progress”.

He further stated that “losing hope was a sin for a Muslim. Muslims practice patience when they face difficulties and express gratitude when they are happy”.

PTV News reported that he also cited Quranic verses and said that one should never lose hope in God’s mercy.

Speaking after him, PM Shehbaz said the event had “set the stage for bringing the second green revolution in Pakistan”, according to the PMO statement.

PM Shehbaz hailed the army chief’s vision regarding food security and was thankful to him for working on the matter, the statement said.

The premier highlighted the importance of agriculture for the country’s economy and the “landmark steps being undertaken by the government to exploit the full potential in agriculture and other domains under the ambit of recently launched SIFC”.

Green Pakistan initiative

“Sequel to the inauguration of Land Information Management System — Centre of Excellence (LIMS — COE), the Green Pakistan initiative is being undertaken to enhance the food security of Pakistan, increase exports and reduce the agriculture-related imports, thereby, contributing towards national economy,” the PMO statement said.

The statement further said that agriculture experts and farmers “highly appreciated the government’s landmark initiative and the army’s special focus on revolutionising the agriculture sector by promoting modern contemporary technology, a collaboration of public and private sectors and trickling down dividends to the local farmers to alleviate poverty”.

It added that “participants hailed the conduct of the seminar and its attendance by experts, government representatives, and potential investors as a success and first step towards bringing positive change in the agriculture and livestock sectors”.

The press release concluded that “attendees especially lauded the army’s efforts in boosting the national economy by focusing on this critical sector”.