Violent Unrest and the May 9 Incidents: Military Leadership’s Firm Decision

Violent Unrest and the May 9 Incidents: Military Leadership’s Firm Decision
(Asghar Ali Mubarak)
At the 277th Corps Commanders’ Conference held at GHQ Rawalpindi—presided over by General Syed Asim Munir—the military declared national internal stability its top priority. Consequently, the military issued a strict, clear policy guideline on violent unrest and tragedies akin to the events of May 9.
According to a statement by the Pakistan Army’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military leadership’s message to anti-state and miscreant elements encompasses the following strategic decisions:
• Use of Decisive Force:
The forum unanimously declared that any attempt to take the law into one’s own hands, incite violent unrest, or recreate conditions similar to May 9—regardless of any political or personal justification—will be crushed, and every such conspiracy will be met with decisive state force.
• Indiscriminate and Unhesitating Action:
The Corps Commanders made it clear that no discrimination or hesitation would hinder action against networks, masterminds, and facilitators that undermine internal security, and that the rule of law would be upheld at all costs.
• No Compromise on Internal Stability:
Conference participants emphasized that internal stability is crucial for Pakistan’s economic progress and survival; therefore, no group or party can be permitted to push the country into a quagmire of chaos. In his address, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir emphasized that the unwavering support of the Pakistani people is the true strength of the armed forces, and that the Pakistan Army—with the nation’s cooperation—is fully prepared to crush every internal and external threat challenging the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. They also welcomed the “Makkah Joint Defense Pact” between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye; simultaneously, they condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and reaffirmed the commitment to protect the sanctity of the Two Holy Mosques. The defense agreements between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia reflect a new strategic framework for regional security, sovereignty, and collective defense. Following significant developments—particularly those in August and September 2026—Pakistan-Saudi defense relations have reached a new strategic milestone.
Details regarding these defense agreements and associated recent events are as follows:
1. Makkah Joint Defense Pact
• Signing of the Pact: This historic trilateral agreement was concluded between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye on August 7, 2026, at the Qasr Al-Safa in Makkah. It was signed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
• Core Principle (An attack on one is an attack on all): The pact is modeled after NATO’s Article 5; under this provision, an armed attack on any single member state is considered an attack on all three, and they are obligated to respond collectively. Following a drone attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on September 29, 2026, targeting the power grid supplying the Prophet’s Mosque (Masjid-e-Nabawi) in Medina, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced on October 2, 2026, that an emergency meeting of the Strategic Political Defense Committee—established under the Makkah Agreement—had been convened in Riyadh for the following week. During the Corps Commanders Conference, the military leadership adopted a clear stance regarding defense cooperation with Saudi Arabia:
• Welcoming the Makkah Agreement: The military forum enthusiastically welcomed the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement concluded between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye.
• Strong Condemnation of Houthi Attacks: The Pakistan Army strongly condemned the recent Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and expressed complete solidarity with the Kingdom.
• Protection of the Two Holy Mosques: The military leadership reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding the sanctity and security of the Two Holy Mosques. According to the DG ISPR, Pakistan is committed to the full and practical implementation of this agreement rather than engaging in media debates about it.
3. Pakistan-Saudi Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement (2025)
Before the Makkah trilateral agreement, bilateral defense relations between the two countries had been formalized:
Before the Makkah trilateral agreement, bilateral defense relations between the two countries had been formalized. This bilateral strategic mutual defense agreement was concluded in Riyadh on September 17, 2025, during the visit of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Under this agreement, cooperation is being fostered in areas such as joint training of security forces, intelligence sharing, cybersecurity, drone technology, and space defense. Even now, maintaining a long-standing tradition, more than 13,000 Pakistani military personnel and technical experts are present in Saudi Arabia to provide training and defense support to the Kingdom’s armed forces. The Makkah Defense Agreement and Pakistan-Saudi ties are no longer confined to mere formal statements; instead, they have evolved into a robust security umbrella against any major aggression in the Middle East and South Asia.
The Pakistan Army has reaffirmed its resolve to exercise the right to self-defense and conduct targeted operations against terrorism originating from Afghanistan. The 277th Corps Commanders’ Conference, held at GHQ Rawalpindi and presided over by Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir, conducted a detailed review of cross-border infiltration and terrorist networks operating from Afghan soil into Pakistan.
According to the statement issued by the Pakistan Army’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) and the prevailing military situation, Pakistan’s stance regarding terrorism and Afghanistan is based on the following strategic points:
1. Right to Self-Defense and Targeted Operations
• Constitutional Right to Defense: The military leadership has made it clear that Pakistan fully reserves the right to conduct targeted operations—including across the border—against terrorists operating from Afghanistan, in exercise of its right to self-defense, to ensure national security and the protection of its citizens.
• Responsibility of the Afghan Taliban: The forum unequivocally stated that the misguided leadership of the Afghan Taliban—which is facilitating terrorism in Pakistan at the behest of India—will itself be held responsible for all the grave consequences thereof.
2. Support for Terrorist Groups and the ‘RAW’ Nexus
• Safe Havens for Proxy Networks: According to recent statements by DG ISPR Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (officially designated as *Fitna-ul-Khawarij*) and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) have established safe havens on Afghan soil.
Military officials have clarified that these terrorist groups are receiving financial and military assistance from the Indian intelligence agency ‘RAW’—under the shadow of the Afghan Taliban—to carry out acts of sabotage within Pakistan’s borders.
3. Operation Ghazab-lil-Haq
• Air Operations in Border Areas: In response to persistent attacks originating from Afghan soil and violations of the Doha Agreement, Pakistan has conducted highly precise and effective airstrikes against terrorist strongholds and logistical hubs along the Afghan border under Operation Ghazab-lil-Haq.
• Elimination of Terrorists: Dozens of cross-border terrorists have been killed in recent border-based and intelligence-led operations; the Pakistan Army has made it clear that these military actions will continue until the Afghan administration stops allowing its territory to be used against Pakistan.
Military leadership has also emphasized that alongside kinetic operations (military actions), non-kinetic measures—such as improving local governance, public outreach campaigns, and dismantling the nexus between crime and terrorism—are essential for lasting peace in the region.• Dismantling the Terror-Crime Nexus:
A decision has been made to modernize the operational capabilities of law enforcement agencies—particularly the police—to dismantle the nexus between terrorism and crime that operates under the patronage of specific political or vested-interest elements. During the 277th Corps Commanders’ Conference held at GHQ Rawalpindi, presided over by Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir, a review of the counter-terrorism strategy placed special emphasis on eliminating this terror-crime nexus. According to the Pakistan Army’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) wing, the military leadership has made it clear that exposing criminal networks is imperative to eradicating the roots of terrorism from the country.
Key points and decisions from the Corps Commanders’ Conference in this regard are as follows:
• Ending Patronage by Specific Elements: The forum expressed concern that this nexus of terrorism and serious crime operates under the shadow of specific vested-interest elements, and dismantling it is essential at all costs.
• Military Operations Alone Are Not Enough: The military leadership clarified that kinetic (combat-based) operations against terrorism are insufficient on their own; non-military measures are equally crucial.
• People-Centric Governance: The conference emphasized the need to establish pro-people governance at the grassroots level to address the root causes of terrorism and to bring administrative structures closer to the public at the foundational level. • Enhancing Police Capacity: A decision has been made to further bolster the operational and technical capabilities of law enforcement agencies—particularly the police—to root out the nexus between crime and terrorism.
• National Action Plan and *Azm-e-Istehkam*: These measures will be further accelerated in line with the National Action Plan (NAP) and the *Azm-e-Istehkam* vision to completely dismantle all networks involved in smuggling, extortion, and terrorist financing.
The military leadership holds the view that the dream of sustainable peace in the country will remain unfulfilled until this nexus of crime and terrorism is severed from the facilitation it receives at local and political levels; the state will mobilize all resources to achieve this objective. The Kashmir Issue: The Historic and Unambiguous Stance of the Corps Commanders’ Conference
At the 277th Corps Commanders’ Conference held at GHQ Rawalpindi, presided over by General Syed Asim Munir, Pakistan’s principled, historic, and strategic stance regarding the Kashmir dispute was emphatically reaffirmed. According to a statement by the Pakistan Army’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military leadership rejected Indian tactics and reiterated its resolve to continue political, diplomatic, and moral support for the Kashmiris’ freedom struggle.
The key declarations made by the military forum regarding Kashmir comprise the following points:
• Resolution in accordance with UN resolutions: The Corps Commanders’ Conference unequivocally stated that the sole and sustainable solution to the Kashmir issue lies in the implementation of the relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.
• Respecting Kashmiri aspirations: The forum emphasized that the Kashmiri people must be granted the right to self-determination in accordance with their aspirations. No unilateral Indian decision imposed without the consent of the Kashmiris can guarantee peace in the region.
• Condemnation of Indian atrocities in the occupied valley: The military leadership strongly condemned the ongoing state oppression, grave human rights violations, and the continued detention of Kashmiri leadership in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). • A fundamental threat to regional peace: Conference participants emphasized that the vision of lasting peace, stability, and economic prosperity in South Asia will remain unfulfilled until India abandons its intransigence and takes serious steps to resolve the core dispute—Kashmir.
Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir reaffirmed the resolve that Pakistan’s armed forces and the entire nation stand shoulder-to-shoulder with their Kashmiri brethren and will continue to raise their voices at every international forum to bring their legitimate freedom movement to its logical conclusion; support was reiterated for resolving the Kashmir dispute in accordance with United Nations resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
Commending operational preparedness, the Army Chief directed that intelligence-based operations be further strengthened and expressed the resolve to ensure the security of Pakistan at all costs.