Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir on Thursday termed the Jaranwala incident “extremely tragic and totally intolerable”, the military said in a statement.
“There is no space for such incidents of intolerance and extreme behaviour by any segment of the society against anyone, particularly against minorities,” the COAS was quoted as saying by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
He said this while addressing the participants of the yearly ISPR Internship Programme being attended by over 370 students from various universities across Pakistan. Gen Asim Munir said that all citizens of Pakistan are equal amongst each other irrespective of religion, gender, caste or creed. He emphasised that no one will be allowed to take the law into their own hands and those culpable of committing such crimes will be brought before the court of justice. While addressing the participants, the army chief emphasised the role of youth towards national development. “Youth is future of Pakistan, which can contribute immensely towards peace, progress and prosperity of the country,” he added.
The army chief also highlighted the efforts of inimical forces towards creating and fomenting fissures, intolerance, mistrust and violent behaviour among the people to spread anarchy and unrest in the country. “It’s imperative for the youth to discern the difference between truth, half-truth, lies, misinformation and disinformation,” the COAS remarked.
In the end, the army chief appreciated the young internees for successfully completing the programme.
