WEBDESK: Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Saturday held a special session with students under the ongoing ISPR internship programme.
During the sitting, he answered several questions from students, especially those from Balochistan, and spoke at length about the province, its people and their role in Pakistan’s future.
The DG ISPR said that a wrong perception is sometimes created that the people and youth of Balochistan are distant from Pakistan. He stressed that Baloch people understand very well the bond between the province and the country.
He paid tribute to Major Muhammad Anwar Kakar Shaheed, calling him a brave officer and a son of the soil. He recalled that Major Kakar had earlier foiled the Gwadar PC Hotel attack by killing several terrorists.
General Chaudhry said Pakistan’s security forces, officers and citizens sacrifice daily to keep the country free. He explained that successful operations against terrorism are only possible with the support of local communities. “If the people themselves identify terrorists, only then can such operations bring lasting peace,” he said.
He rejected the idea that the army operates to harm innocent citizens. “The army has no interest in targeting the public. But if someone shelters terrorists or keeps explosives at home, they will face the consequences,” he added.
The DG ISPR emphasised the importance of intelligence based operations, noting that removing terrorists requires careful strategy and cooperation with locals and administration.
He said Balochistan’s people are wise and forward-looking. Many Baloch students, after gaining education, have become owners of their own future. He mentioned examples such as Dr Samad Yar Jung, a noted scientist educated at Cambridge, and Shahzeb Rind, a successful youth from Balochistan. He also pointed out that many Baloch women now serve as deputy commissioners.
He highlighted that Pakistan was created on the basis of the Kalima, not on race or ethnicity. Quoting the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), he said no Arab is superior to a non-Arab, nor a white person to a black person.
He also gave demographic facts, noting that Balochistan’s population is around 15 million, of which nearly half live outside the province. He said more Pashtuns live in Balochistan than commonly thought, and large Baloch communities also live in Sindh and southern Punjab.
“Pakistan’s meaning, La ilaha illallah, lives in the hearts of its people because it was founded on faith,” the DG ISPR added.
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