70% of Afghanistan’s militant formations are made up of Afghans, he stated at the National Ulema Conference on December 10.
CDF Field Marshal Asim Munir addresses the guard of honor ceremony held at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi on Monday. Photo: ISPR
Defense Forces Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir has said Afghanistan will have to choose between what he described as Fitna al-Khawarij and Pakistan, warning that most of the militant groups infiltrating across the border are made up of Afghan nationals.
Munir made these remarks while addressing the National Ulema Conference in Islamabad on December 10. While official details of the speech were limited at the time, excerpts of his speech circulated publicly on Sunday.
He said militant groups were attacking Pakistani citizens, including children, and alleged that such activities were being carried out with the backing of the Afghan Taliban. He claimed that around 70% of the militant formations infiltrating from Afghanistan were made up of Afghan nationals.
Addressing religious scholars, Munir said that in any Islamic state, the authority to declare jihad lies solely with the state, not with individuals or groups, and stressed the need for unity and discipline in matters of faith and security.
Referring to May’s conflict with India, the army chief said Pakistan had witnessed what he described as divine support during Operation Bunyan al-Marsous, while quoting Quranic verses during his speech.
He also spoke of what he called a conceptual link between the “Tayyaba State” and Pakistan, saying both were founded on the principles of Kalima Tayyaba during Ramadan.
Munir said nations that abandoned the intellectual and academic legacy of their ancestors and the pursuit of knowledge ultimately faced decline.
The conference was attended by religious scholars representing major schools of thought from across Pakistan.
