Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir Doubles Down On Two-Nation Theory As Pahalgam Tensions Soar
The Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir was speaking at the assing out parade at the Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) in Kakul, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
Pakistan’s army chief General Asim Munir on Saturday once again invoked the two-nation theory, asserting that Muslims and Hindus are two distinct nations. His comments came just days after he called Kashmir Pakistan’s “jugular vein" at a diaspora event.
Speaking at the passing out parade at the Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) in Kakul, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Munir said: “The two-nation theory was based on the fundamental belief that Muslims and Hindus are two separate nations, not one. Muslims are distinct from Hindus in all aspects of life – religion, customs, traditions, thinking and aspirations."
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The remarks come at a time of heightened tensions with India following the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which left 26 people dead, caused by Pakistan-based and Pakistan-trained terrorists. India has since announced a series of retaliatory measures against Pakistan, including holding the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance.
Undeterred by the escalating diplomatic fallout, Munir said Pakistan was the result of countless sacrifices and it was the armed forces’ duty to protect it. “Our forefathers made immense sacrifices for the creation of Pakistan. We know how to defend it," he said.
Earlier this month, addressing overseas Pakistanis in Islamabad, Munir had made similar remarks. “You have to tell Pakistan’s story to your children so they remember that our forefathers believed we were different from Hindus in every possible aspect of life," he said. He added that religion, customs, traditions, thoughts, and ambitions all separated Hindus and Muslims, reviving the two-nation theory espoused by Pakistan’s founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah.
During the same address, Munir also reiterated Pakistan’s traditional line on Kashmir, saying, “Our stance is very clear — it was our jugular vein, it will be our jugular vein, and we will not forget it. We will not leave our Kashmiri brothers in their heroic struggle."
India, meanwhile, has consistently maintained that the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh “were, are, and will always" remain an integral part of the country.
Ties between India and Pakistan have been at their lowest since August 5, 2019, when India abrogated Article 370, revoking Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and bifurcating it into two Union Territories.
(with PTI inputs)
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