Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir on Wednesday reaffirmed the military’s resolve to eradicate the menace of terrorism from the country, underscoring the nation’s preparedness to respond decisively to any external or internal threats, a statement from the military’s media wing said.

Pakistan has lately seen a surge in terrorism across the country, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, after the proscribed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022.

In recent months, the security situation in Balochistan has also worsened, as militants, long involved in a low-level insurgency, have stepped up the frequency and intensity of their attacks. The outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), in particular, has adopted new tactics to inflict higher casualties and directly target Pakistani security forces.

According to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the army chief was speaking to a group of stakeholders at the 16th National Workshop in Balochistan.

“[The] COAS resolutely reaffirmed Pakistan Army’s unwavering commitment to uproot the menace of terrorism and [the] inevitability of socio-economic uplift of Balochistan for national cohesion and integration,” the statement said.

Field Marshal Munir also shed light on Pakistan’s recent military escalation with India, condemning New Delhi’s “blatant sponsorship of terror proxies, characterising them as a failed attempt to target the deep-rooted patriotism of the people of Balochistan.”

The two countries entered a brief but intense military escalation after India, without evidence, blamed Pakistan for the April 22 Pahalgam attack. On May 6–7, New Delhi launched air strikes that killed civilians, followed by a week-long missile exchange. A US-brokered ceasefire ended the war.

He elucidated that India, having suffered defeat in Marka-i-Haq — the period of conflict from April 22 to May 10 — had “now escalated its proxy war to advance her nefarious designs.”

He said New Delhi was using Fitna-al-Khawarij and Fitna-al-Hindustan — terms the state uses to refer to the TTP and terrorist groups in Balochistan, respectively — as “pawns of Indian hybrid war against Pakistan.”

“The COAS said that these proxies will face a similar fate and humiliation as faced in Marka-i-Haq,” the statement said.

During his talk, the army chief also emphasised that terrorists knew no bounds of religion, sect, or ethnicity, necessitating a unified national response, stressing the imperative of collective resolve in confronting this menace.

He highlighted the “pivotal role of development initiatives in Balochistan, advocating for enhanced inter-agency cooperation and a cohesive national approach to propel provincial progress and national advancement.”

While reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to regional peace, the COAS underscored the nation’s preparedness to respond decisively to any external or internal threats, protecting national prestige and ensuring the well-being of its citizens, the statement concluded.