East Pakistan debacle was a political failure: COAS Bajwa

RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Bajwa on Wednesday said that East Pakistan debacle was political failure not a military one and the nation must also remember the martyrs of the 1971 war, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

In his Defence Day speech, his last one as army chief, General Bajwa said during the 1971 war, 34000 Pakistani soldiers bravely confronted more than four hundred thousand troops of enemy in East Pakistan so the nation must not forget their sacrifices.

“A nation that forgets its martyrs, disappears from the annals of the history,” said COAS Bajwa.

TARGETED BY ‘FALSE NARRATIVE’

General Bajwa was of the view that the army was targeted recently by some political forces with a “false and made-up narrative” and the institution, despite being in capacity to respond to it by all manner, stayed calm but “patience has a limit”

He said that he often wondered why Indian army, the one did the most human rights violations in the world has not become a “target of criticism by its people”.

“I came to the conclusion that it is because of army’s involvement in politics. So, in February last year, the institution decided that it will no longer interfere in politics,” said the COAS.

He added that the decision (of not interfering in politics) was also criticised by some unscrupulous elements.

“Everyone has right to criticism, but the language (used) should be careful,” added the COAS.

General Bajwa said that leaving the mistakes of the past behind, the army has decided to move forward and will urge the political forces to do the same in the larger national interest.

“People come and go but Pakistan is there to stay,” said army chief.

‘SELECTED OR IMPORTED’

The COAS lamented what he termed ‘intolerance’ in the country’s political culture and said that after the 2018 General Elections, a political government was termed ‘selected’ by some over a RTS issue while in April, a government which lost the confidence vote termed its successor “imported”.

“It is time political parties promote democratic culture in Pakistan, learn to co-exist and keep aside their differences to put Pakistan on the path of progress,” said the COAS, adding that personalities and personal interests do not matter when the state’s interest is at stake.