Islamabad: Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, said on Tuesday that the country faces complex and persistent security challenges across multiple domains, calling for continuous adaptation and closer coordination among all elements of national power.
He made the remarks during a visit to the National Defence University (NDU) in Islamabad, where he interacted with civil and military participants of the ongoing National Security and War Course.
Briefing focuses on national security challenges
During the visit, course participants briefed the army chief on their academic assessment of emerging national security threats and strategies to address them, according to ISPR.
Field Marshal Munir described the global, regional and internal security environment as increasingly volatile, noting that Pakistan must prepare to confront challenges spanning conventional and sub-conventional warfare, intelligence, cyber, information, military and economic domains.
He said these overlapping threats demand comprehensive, multi-domain preparedness and sustained synergy among state institutions.
Shift toward indirect and ambiguous threats
Turning to evolving conflict trends, the army chief said hostile actors are increasingly avoiding direct confrontation and instead relying on indirect and ambiguous tactics.
These include the use of proxies and efforts to exploit internal vulnerabilities, he said, adding that such approaches require heightened cognitive awareness and strategic foresight.
He stressed that future leaders must be trained to recognise, anticipate and counter layered and non-traditional threats that target national cohesion and decision-making processes.
Decision-making under uncertainty emphasised
Field Marshal Munir highlighted that clarity of thought, intellectual resilience and the ability to make decisions under uncertainty are essential qualities for leadership in today’s contested security environment.
He said modern conflict often unfolds in diffused and unpredictable ways, placing a premium on adaptive thinking and institutional agility.
Praise for NDU’s strategic role
The army chief praised the National Defence University for its role in developing strategic thinkers capable of converting academic rigour into practical policy and operational outcomes.
He said professional military education remains vital for strengthening institutional capacity, fostering indigenous capabilities and ensuring long-term national resilience.
Call for vigilance and service
Concluding his address, Field Marshal Munir commended the participants for their analysis and urged them to remain vigilant, adaptive and steadfast in upholding the values of integrity, discipline and selfless service.
Earlier, upon his arrival at the university, the army chief was received by the President of NDU, officials said.
