Pak army chief Munir spews venom again, reiterates support for Kashmir terrorists

NEW DELHI: Pakistan army chief Asim Munir has spewed venom yet again, adopting a hardline stance on J&K and glorifying terrorism. Delivering a speech at the Pakistan Naval Academy in Karachi, Munir justified Pakistan's brazen support for terrorism in J&K by framing it as a "legitimate struggle".

Munir pledged continued political, moral and diplomatic backing for terrorism in Kashmir. "Pakistan is a strong advocate for a just resolution of the Kashmir issue in accordance with UN resolutions and the aspirations of Kashmiri people," he said. Munir said a "just and peaceful resolution" to Kashmir was a pre-requisite for peace and stability in the region.

Though consistent with Pakistan's boilerplate formulation, Munir's remarks have been viewed in India with interest because they come in the flush of his success in cultivating the Trump administration. He claimed Pakistan, "despite grave provocations, acted with restraint and maturity, and demonstrated its commitment to regional peace and stability ". He also claimed Pakistan gave a "resolute response" to India during Operation Sindoor . -Rajshekhar Jha