We made some mistakes and learnt from them: COAS

ISLAMABAD: Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa said on Monday that despite the shortage of resources, their elders made the country stand on its feet, admitting that during this process “we made some mistakes and learnt from them”.

He said Pakistan is strong today and on the path of law and Constitution. He was speaking at the flag hoisting ceremony at the Wagah Border amid full-throated slogans of Pakistan Zindabad by the Rangers.

He said the day is not far when they will make this country Pakistan of Quaid-i-Azam and Allama Iqbal. He said blood of the martyrs has paid off in the development the country is witnessing. He said the martyrs of Quetta, LoC or of other areas are all with them.

He said they belong to a nation that dug out its martyrs from under the snow of Siachen and in the same manner they will kill all the terrorists. He said ammunition and bullets of the enemy will end but the chests of Pakistani Jawans will not.

He said the army and the Rangers will never disappoint the nation. He said the Pakistan Army and other institutions will stand like a wall in the way to any forces aiming to harm the country.

He said Pakistan will progress the way its flag is raised here. He said he congratulated the nation on its 70th Independence Day. He said looking at people’s sentiments is enhancing his confidence. He said they had given different sacrifices at different occasions, which is why the country was strong now.

He said they were in debt of their martyrs. He said the country is facing countless internal and external challenges. He said they will foil the designs of their enemies and every Pakistani is a soldier of Radul Fassad. He said every institution of the country is working honestly and terrorists will be hunted down and killed.

Earlier, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Sunday said that there was a need to have synergy of efforts of all the state institutions to defeat terrorism in totality.The army chief visited the Southern Command Headquarters where he was briefed about the tragic incident in Quetta in which 15 people, including eight army men, embraced martyrdom. The COAS reiterated that the fight against terrorism would continue till 'Shuhada-e-Pakistan', who have laid down their lives for a peaceful and prosperous Pakistan, he added.

Earlier, the COAS visited Quetta and attended Namaz-e-Janaza of soldiers, who embraced Shahadat in the blast on Saturday night. Federal Minister for Interior Ahsan Iqbal, Balochistan Governor Muhammad Khan Achakzai, Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Khan Zehri, Commander Southern Command Lieutenant General Aamir Riaz and other civil and military officials also attended the Namaz-e-Janaza.

The COAS also visited the injured of Quetta blast at Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Quetta Cantt. Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Interior Ahsan Iqbal said that it was time to demean the terrorists not one another. He stressed the need for further strengthening unity among all ranks of the nation to completely efface the menace of terrorism from the country.

The minister urged the need for showing complete solidarity and unity to fight war against terrorism and called upon the opposition parties to join hands to defeat the enemies of Pakistan. Talking to media persons along with Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri and Balochistan Home Minister Mir Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti, the minister said that the country had been in state of war for the last several years.

He also assured full cooperation of the federal government to tackle this menace, adding the enemy was very clever and had specific designs against Pakistan. Condemning the terrorist attack in Quetta, he said the country was successfully stepping ahead with strong agenda to defeat the menace of terrorism.

The minister said that during the last four years, Pakistan had achieved significant successes in war against terrorism, however, he said, a few suicide bombers from across the border were able to hit the soft targets like the civilians.

Ahsan Iqbal said that aim of such cowardly attacks was to increase the psychological pressure on the nation. He said, "Our enemy is not familiar that these attacks further increase the courage and determination of the people.”

He said during the last four years, the government had successfully launched operations 'Zarb-e-Azb' and 'Ruddul Fasaad' which had broken the backbone of the terrorists. The minister said that eradication of terrorism from the country was prerequisite for prosperity and development of the country.

About Quetta incident, he said it had left 15 people dead which reminded them that the country was in a state of war and its enemies were targeting people to prove their existence. The minister said the enemies of Pakistan were on the run and very soon, the government in collaboration with law enforcement agencies and with the help of people would be able to eliminate terrorism related incidents completely.

He said the incident had also reminded that there was a dire need of internal unity to win this war. The minister observed that some political elements from the last a few years had been trying to internally destablise the country and trying to divide the nation.

Ahsan Iqbal said those elements who were trying to weaken the internal unity were the enemy of the motherland. Replying to a query, Iqbal said that the security situation was much better as compared to 2013.