Army answerable to people, Parliament: Kayani

Chief of the Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani said on Wednesday that Pakistan Army being a national army derived its strength from the people of Pakistan and was answerable to the people and their representatives in the Parliament.
Addressing a seminar on de-radicalisation, he said Pakistan Army considered people’s support vital for its operations against terrorists, and believed that only the people of Pakistan could determine the national interest and army’s role in their achievement.
He added that Pakistan’s commitment to war against al Qaeda and its affiliates was total and unwavering as it firmly believed in taking stern action against all terrorist groups.
The Pakistan Army was determined to lead the fight on terror in partnership with other law enforcement agencies and in line with the constitution, he said.
He further said that there was no military solution to terrorism since military strategy could only provide an enabling environment. The menace had to be tackled in the domain of national security which warranted a comprehensive response entailing synergy by all elements of national power, he added.
He said following the success of military operations, reconstruction and rehabilitation of infrastructure was immediately launched to restore life. He further said that de-radicalisation, as a process, was gaining eminence in many parts of the world.
He added that it would be prudent for all elements of national power and the nation to take a holistic view of national security, within the purview of ‘state as well as human security’.
He said the Pakistan Army suffered 985 casualties (including 228 officers and men killed and 757 wounded) with high officers to troops’ casualty ratio 1: 8 in known history.