Munir must introspect adverse impact of his actions on Pakistan: Report

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Islamabad, June 9 (IANS) Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir must introspect the adverse impact of his actions on Pakistan instead of celebrating the statistics and issuing threats, a report has stated.

After becoming Pakistan’s Army Chief, General Munir showed his true colours by manipulating the General Elections in 2024 to put in place the government of his choice, allowing him to further strengthen his own position. He also promoted himself to the rank of Field Marshal by subverting the constitution through an amendment that made him the most powerful person in Pakistan, a report in Eurasia Review detailed.

“Thanks to the 27th constitutional amendment, Pakistan’s self-promoted Field Marshal has by the virtue of being nominated as the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) become the de facto overall commander of Pakistan’s armed forces. This amendment also provides him lifelong immunity against legal prosecution which is something unheard of in a democracy since it confers unfettered authority on the CDF sans any accountability,” retired Indian Army Officer Nilesh Kunwar wrote in Eurasia Review.

Providing immunity against legal prosecution for life to an individual is against the principle of equality before law. This situation is dangerous as sweeping powers and lack of accountability encourages brash behaviour and Munir’s decision to cross swords with Afghanistan is one such example.

“Even if Islamabad’s claim that Kabul is providing sanctuary to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan [TTP] terrorists is true, being a very senior army officer, CDF Munir would definitely be aware that airstrikes against alleged TTP sanctuaries inside Afghanistan would materially achieve precious little in military terms. He also must have known very well that such attacks would only bring Kabul and TTP closer, compounding problems along the Durand Line,” Nilesh Kanwar wrote in a report in Eurasia Review.

According to Pakistan Institute of Peace Studies (PIPS), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan reported 71 per cent of terrorism-related incidents that took place in Pakistan in 2025. The armed struggle in Balochistan has intensified significantly and Munir’s more than a year-old “we will beat the hell out of these terrorists (Baloch fighters) very soon” statement has turned out to be a damp squib.

Munir has launched a reign of terror against Baloch people by kidnapping and extrajudicially killing them. Under Munir’s leadership, the already severely restricted space for freedom of expression in Pakistan has been further curtailed in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) due to which unrest is once again brewing in the region.

“Therefore, rather than celebrating statistics and issuing threats right, left and center, it would do Field Marshal Munir a lot of good if he took some time off to dispassionately introspect on the adverse impact of his actions on Pakistan. While concealing the Pakistan army’s abysmal failure to wipe out terrorism by blaming India and Afghanistan for the same may serve as a temporary diversion, Field Marshal Munir may like to reflect on Abraham Lincoln’s seminal observation-‘you can’t fool all the people all the time’,” Kunwar mentioned.

–IANS

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Chhattisgarh: Farmers in Balrampur benefiting from ‘PM Kisan Samman Nidhi’, praise Modi government

Balrampur, Feb 19 (IANS) The Narendra Modi government at the Centre has launched several welfare schemes aimed at benefiting the public and various sections of society. One such scheme is the “Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi”, and this scheme is quite beneficial for the farmers in Balrampur district of Chhattisgarh.

Farmers in Balrampur who are availing the benefits of this scheme are all happy with the support they receive. Under this scheme, farmers receive three instalments of Rs 2,000 each annually. They use this money for agricultural purposes. Farmers in rural areas have shared that this scheme has been quite beneficial, providing them with timely funds to carry out farming activities. The money is used to purchase fertilisers and seeds for farming.

Robinson Sudhir Kujur, the Deputy Director of Agriculture in Balrampur, mentioned, “The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme started in 2018. So far, 65,830 farmers have registered for this scheme in the district. Farmers receive Rs 6,000 in three instalments each year, transferred through DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer). With this money, farmers are able to buy fertilisers, seeds, or agricultural tools as needed.”

Farmer Mukesh Kumar said, “My father regularly receives money under the Kisan Samman Nidhi. The money helps us purchase fertilisers and seeds. This scheme of the Modi government is very beneficial and is helping farmers across the country. We have already received 17-18 instalments so far.”

Another farmer, Mantu, shared, “We benefit greatly from the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi. Sometimes, we don’t have enough money, and in such cases, the funds we receive through the scheme help us buy fertilisers and seeds. The money is directly transferred to our bank account. A big thank you to PM Modi for this.”

Farmer Manmat added, “So far, we have received 18 instalments of this scheme. We no longer need to take loans when we need money. The scheme provides us with a lot of convenience. We thank the government for this.”

–IANS

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South Korea, US see ‘meaningful progress’ on conditions for wartime command transfer from Washington

Seoul, Nov 3 (IANS) The top military officers of South Korea and the United States on Monday assessed that “meaningful progress” has been made to meet the conditions for Seoul to retake wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington, the South’s military said.

Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Gen. Jin Yong-sung and his US counterpart, Gen. Dan Caine, discussed such details during the 50th Military Committee Meeting held in Seoul, according to the South’s JCS. It marked their first in-person talks in three months.

“They agreed to continue efforts to meet the conditions required for achieving OPCON transition and strengthen the alliance’s combined defence posture,” the military said in an English-language release.

“Gen. Jin and Gen. Caine have the same understanding of the meaningful progress made across various fields, as confirmed through the annual evaluation conducted in accordance with the bilaterally agreed-upon standards of conditions-based operational control transition plan,” it said.

The talks came as South Korea has vowed to regain OPCON from Washington within South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s five-year term that ends in 2030.

In the meeting, Jin and Caine also held discussions on alliance modernisation and agreed to enhance the alliance’s capabilities, interoperability and combined readiness posture to better respond to the changing security environment and “emerging” threats, the military said.

They noted that the security environment in the Indo-Pacific has become “increasingly complex” due to North Korea’s advancing nuclear and missile threats, as well as an intensifying global arms race, Yonhap news agency reported.

Still, the top military officers said the North’s military buildup attempt, backed by technological support from Russia, is effectively being managed under the allies’ strong combined defence posture.

Going forward, Jin and Caine concurred on the importance of developing an “ever-stronger” combined defence posture under the allies’ mutual defence treaty and pledged utmost efforts to ensure peace and stability not only on the Korean Peninsula but in the region.

Monday’s talks, attended by senior officials from both sides, including Adm. Samuel Paparo, chief of the US Indo-Pacific Command, and Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of the US Forces Korea, came a day ahead of annual security talks between their defence chiefs.

Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back and US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth are set to co-chair the 57th Security Consultative Meeting on Tuesday, which is widely expected to include discussions on Seoul’s push for OPCON transition and the acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines.

–IANS

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Rajasthan youth arrested with illegal pistol, links emerge to Ludhiana terror accused

Jaipur, Nov 27 (IANS) Rajasthan Police in Sri Ganganagar have arrested a youth and recovered an illegal pistol and four cartridges from his possession, officials said on Thursday.

The accused, Rakesh alias Rocky Nehra, a resident of Haripura village (26 GB), was detained on Jassa Singh Road by a team led by Central Bus Stand outpost in-charge Swarn Singh, Kotwali Police Station Inspector Prithvipal Singh said.

Rocky is currently being interrogated, and investigators are probing his suspected links with Ramlal, a key accused arrested recently in Punjab.

Superintendent of Police Dr Amrita Duhan said two terrorists were injured in an encounter with the Punjab Police in Ludhiana last week. One of them, Ramlal, belongs to Takharanwali village under Sri Ganganagar’s Lalgarh police station limits, while the second accused, Deepu, is a resident of Sherewala village in Abohar.

Ramlal, who earlier worked as a labourer, is believed to have been lured by money and drawn into the network of a Pakistani handler, Jasvir Singh alias Chaudhary. Punjab Police had recovered two hand grenades and five pistols from him.

Notably, the pistol seized from Rocky is similar to the weapons recovered from Ramlal. During preliminary questioning, Rocky admitted that he procured the firearm jointly with Ramlal.

Inspector Prithvipal Singh confirmed that Rocky’s links with the Ludhiana terror module surfaced during interrogation. He will be taken to Ludhiana for further verification. The accused has been booked under the Arms Act.

The Punjab Police operation on November 21, based on intelligence inputs that a Pakistani handler had deployed Ramlal and Deepu to carry out grenade attacks in Punjab and other states, led to the encounter. Intelligence also warned of a possible strike similar to the recent blast in Delhi.

Acting on the input, police laid a trap and moved to apprehend the duo. When ordered to surrender, the accused opened fire. In retaliatory action, one sustained gunshot wounds to the stomach and chest, and the other was shot in the leg. Both were subsequently subdued and arrested.

–IANS

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