‘Security of every Pakistani important’: Army chief Gen Munir amid imminent deportation of migrants

Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir said on Thursday that the security of each Pakistani is of paramount importance and cannot be compromised as he highlighted the imminent deportation of thousands of illegal immigrants. He addressed the participants of a National Security Workshop, who visited the GHQ in Rawalpindi and briefed them about regional and internal security dynamics and the national security environment. According to a statement by the army, the army chief spoke on the subject of repatriation and deportation of illegal immigrants and highlighted the security of every Pakistani. Safety and security of each Pakistani is of paramount importance which cannot be allowed to be compromised at any cost, he said. The Pakistan government on Thursday said it has set up “holding centres” across the country and finalised a plan to deport illegal immigrants, including an estimated 1.7 million Afghans, by the October 31 deadline. Earlier this month, Pakistan gave an ultimatum to all undocumented immigrants, including 1.7 million Afghan nationals, to leave Pakistan by the deadline, or else, risk imprisonment and deportation. The army chief also highlighted the economic positivity generated by multiple proactive steps, especially the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) which is a civil-military hybrid forum to make key economic decisions to revive the ailing economy. He told the participant that the armed forces and other security and intelligence setups have fought the menace of terrorism in an exemplary manner despite sustained and varied support of inimical forces. He also emphasised that intelligentsia and civil society have a greater responsibility to ensure that our people, especially youth stay aware and steadfast against hostile propaganda onslaught being launched through soft offensive against the state institutions of Pakistan. The army is fully engaged in enabling National and Provincial responses in different domains in step with other institutions of the state for the collective good of the people of Pakistan, he said.