SWABI: Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Eng Amir Muqam has said the recent conflict with India enabled Pakistan to notch a distinguished place for itself in the comity of the nations.

He stated this while talking to mediapersons at the residence of senior leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Dildar Khan, a close associate of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. He recently underwent a knee operation.

Mr Muqam said Field Marshal Gen Asim Munir had handled the highly delicate security situation with a great military skill and professionalism and the entire nation backed armed forces against India, which won’t dare attack Pakistan again in future.

He said: “In fact India underestimated Pakistan’s military capability.” “A new Pakistan emerged on the world map and Pakistani passport and prestige increased immensely because we never adopted an aggressive policy against India or any other neighbour. We are proud that our armed forces’ defensive strategy was result-oriented,” he said.

“The entire nation supported the Pakistan Army and stood like a rock, sending a clear message to the world that no one can defeat us,” he said.

The federal minister said that upcoming PTI protest was not a new thing for the federal government.

To a question, he said that the PTI workers had seen the real face of their leaders in the Islamabad protest when they took them to the capital and disappeared, leaving them in trouble, urging the PTI workers to learn from their mistakes.

“The Kohistan scandal has shocked the whole Pakistan, as how Rs40 billion were withdrawn from accounts. All this was done under the patronage of some key leaders of PTI. I give credit to NAB Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for unearthing this scandal and exposing it,” he said

Mr Muqam alleged that corruption in KP departments had reached an alarming proportion.

“The PTI leaders have made only empty pledges, staged rallies and sit-ins for the party founder Imran Khan, and have utterly failed to deliver while pushing the province into the quagmire of financial bankruptcy,” he said.

He questioned: “Where has gone the PTI leadership’s claim of corruption-free Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 10 million jobs for educated youth. Where has gone the pledge of ensuring peace and tranquility.”

Published in Dawn, June 3rd, 2025