What India calls ‘terrorism' is a legal struggle for rights: field marshal

Express Tribune

a day ago

Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir has said that India's portrayal of the Kashmiri freedom movement as terrorism is misleading, describing it instead as a legitimate and lawful struggle recognised under international law.
'What India labels as terrorism is, in fact, a legitimate and lawful struggle for freedom, recognised by international law,' said Field Marshal Asim Munir.
Speaking at a commissioning parade held at the Pakistan Naval Academy on Saturday, the army chief urged the nation to remember the sacrifices of the Kashmiri people resisting India's 'illegal occupation' of Jammu and Kashmir.
'At such a time, we must not forget the sacrifices of our Kashmiri brothers who are struggling against Indian occupation,' he said.
He accused India of deliberately escalating regional tensions just as Pakistan nears success in its fight against terrorism. Munir reaffirmed Pakistan's resolve to eliminate terrorism.
'We will take our fight against terrorism to its logical conclusion and rid the country of this menace once and for all,' he declared.
Reiterating Pakistan's longstanding stance on Kashmir, the army chief said, 'Pakistan strongly supports a fair and peaceful solution to the Kashmir issue in line with UN resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.'
According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), grand commissioning parade reflecting rich naval traditions was held at the Pakistan Naval Academy, Karachi, marking the commissioning of the 123rd Midshipmen and 31st Short Service Commission (SSC) Course.
Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, attended the ceremony as the chief guest. Upon his arrival at the academy, he was welcomed by Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf.
A total of 127 midshipmen were part of the commissioning term, including 19 from Bahrain, 4 from Iraq, and 2 from the State of Palestine. In addition, 23 cadets from the SSC Course were also commissioned.
In his address, the chief guest congratulated the newly commissioned officers and their families.
He praised the Pakistan Naval Academy for providing high-quality training not only to Pakistani cadets but also to those from allied nations. The participation of cadets from Bahrain, Iraq, Palestine, Djibouti, and Türkiye in the ceremony underscored the academy's international training standards.
Highlighting the professionalism of the Pakistan Navy, he noted its critical role in securing global sea lines of communication as a key regional maritime force.
He also referred to recent regional tensions, emphasizing that during Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, Pakistan's armed forces responded swiftly and decisively to threats from a numerically superior adversary, demonstrating the nation's firm resolve to defend its sovereignty and integrity.
Earlier, in his welcome address, Commandant of the Pakistan Naval Academy, Commodore Tasawwar Iqbal, elaborated on the academic and professional development offered at the academy. He emphasized the academy's role in nurturing officers with strong faith, character, and dedication to the motherland.
Later, the chief guest distributed awards among outstanding cadets: Midshipman Abdul Rehman received the Sword of Honour for overall best performance, Midshipman Shayan Hashmat was awarded the Academy Dirk, Officer Cadet Muhammad Uzair Abbas received the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gold Medal, Officer Cadet Chaudhry Muhammad Aizaz Tahir of the SSC course was given the Commandant's Gold Medal and the Proficiency Banner was awarded to the Quarterdeck Squadron.
The ceremony was attended by foreign dignitaries, government officials, officers of the Pakistan Navy and other armed forces, and families of the commissioning officers.