Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir said Pakistan will use the full might of the state to crush cross-border terrorism [1].
This declaration signals a hardline security posture as the military targets proxy groups and foreign intelligence operations that threaten national stability. By framing the threat as state-sponsored, the military leadership is emphasizing a strategy of total eradication over containment.
Speaking at the National Defence University in Islamabad on July 8 or 9 [2], the Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces addressed graduating officers. He said that the armed forces remain fully aware of state-sponsored attempts and will use every tool available to eradicate cross-border terrorism [3].
Munir specifically highlighted the role of external actors in destabilizing the region. He said that the military will defeat all attempts by proxy groups backed by hostile intelligence agencies with the full force of the state [2].
The address occurred during a period of heightened security concerns regarding border incursions and internal insurgency. The Field Marshal emphasized that the state's response would be comprehensive, utilizing all available resources to ensure security.
According to reports from Dawn and Pakistan Today, the focus remains on neutralizing elements that operate across borders to incite violence [1, 2]. Munir's rhetoric suggests that the military is prepared to escalate its operational tempo to neutralize these threats [3].
“Cross-border terrorism will be crushed with the full might of the state.”
This rhetoric indicates a shift toward a more aggressive counter-terrorism strategy that explicitly links internal security threats to foreign intelligence agencies. By pledging the 'full might of the state,' the Pakistani military is signaling to both domestic audiences and international adversaries that it will not rely solely on traditional policing, but will employ comprehensive military and state resources to neutralize proxy warfare.
