On the occasion of the first anniversary of the countrywide protests, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir made a pledge to hold accountable the individuals who planned and led the events of violence on May 9, 2023. The military remembers May 9 as “The Black Day,” when mobs rampaged and vandalized private and public properties, including military installations, following the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan.
On his visit to Lahore Garrison, the COAS was given a detailed briefing on the operational preparedness of the formation and laid a floral wreath at the Martyrs’ Monument. While addressing the Garrison officers and soldiers, he lauded the troops for their services to the nation and appreciated their professionalism.
The army chief said the plotters of the riots and violent protests were “brazenly and shamelessly trying to twist the narrative and implicate the state in this despicable endeavour.” He added that “there can be no compromise or deal with the planners and architects of this dark chapter in our history” as they tried to mock the state and the nation.
The COAS also reassured the officers and soldiers of the Pakistan Army that “no one will be allowed to disrespect Shuhada, their families, or the institution.” He warned that planners, abettors, facilitators, and culprits of May 9 would be brought to justice according to the law of the land.
General Munir underscored that inimical forces and their abettors have unleashed digital terrorism and are trying hard to create division between the Armed Forces and the people of Pakistan through fake news and propaganda. However, he added that the designs of all these forces would be defeated with the support of the nation.
The army chief inaugurated the Jinnah Library at Lahore Garrison and said that the military had rekindled the memory of Quaid by building this public library over the piles of ash and rubble created by the destructive forces. He asserted that every soldier and officer of the Pakistan Army put their duties and responsibilities first, regardless of any other affiliations or preferences and continued to render extreme sacrifices on a daily basis.
Overall, the COAS’s message was one of assertion to bring to justice those who plotted and carried out the violence of May 9, 2023. He also emphasized the importance of unity and professionalism among the Armed Forces and the nation as a whole in the face of inimical forces seeking to sow division.
