Islamabad: Political activist Malik Sitiz has questioned Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir’s ability to ensure security amid attacks reported in Rawalpindi and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, arguing that Pakistan’s military leadership must first address security failures within its own territory.
Sharing a photograph of Munir, Sitiz said that when authorities fail to contain attackers and soldiers and officers are caught in violence on the streets of Rawalpindi and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, linking the response to the killing of the most vulnerable people raises serious questions.
Media activist Sayed Ashraf Sadat, responding to Sitiz’s remarks, said that an army claiming to be among the world’s most powerful must explain why it has been unable to secure cities and protect its own personnel from attacks by armed groups.
Sadat further argued that the credibility of a military force depends on its ability to protect the people rather than, in his view, using violence against vulnerable sections of Afghan society to deflect attention from security and political failures.
The remarks come amid allegations that Pakistani authorities have sought to address domestic security challenges through actions affecting Afghan civilians, including women, children and elderly people.
Critics have described such measures as an attempt to shift attention from Pakistan’s internal security and political challenges. The allegations and characterisations remain part of an ongoing political dispute surrounding Pakistan’s security policies and its treatment of Afghan civilians.
