Rhetoric of Rupture

General Asim Munir's provocative speech intends to deflect attention from Pakistan's internal turmoil and assert the Army's ideological dominance alongside polarising communities in Bangladesh and India

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Pakistani Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir delivered what was described by Pakistani media as a powerful address (Islamabad, April 16) at the first Overseas Pakistanis Convention in Islamabad, asserting that Pakistan's enemies are mistaken in thinking that a handful of terrorists can dictate the country's destiny. He underscored that even ten generations of terrorists cannot damage Baluchistan or Pakistan, adding that Baluchistan is not only vital to the country's future but also a symbol of national pride.

While emphasising that the young generation of Pakistan should be constantly reminded of the country's history, the Army Chief said that Hindus are culturally and ideologically different from Pakistanis, and that is where the foundation of the two-nation theory was laid. "We are two nations, we are not one nation," he said. Munir reopened the two-nation theory, stressing that India and Pakistan are two different countries in his provocative speech. He called for narrating Pakistan's story to children, lest they forget what their forefathers believed—that they were different from Hindus in every possible aspect of life. "Our religion is different, our customs are different, our traditions are different, our thoughts are different, our ambitions are different—that's where the foundation of the two-nation theory was laid."

He also reiterated that Pakistanis should not forget the story of Pakistan—how it was formed and the "sacrifices" made by its forefathers—so that their bond with Pakistan never weakens, whether it is the third generation, or the fourth, or the fifth.