THIS refers to the news report ‘Security forces allowing extremists to attack minorities: HRW’ (Feb 2). It is a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report which has accused the government of utter failure in checking the rampant violence of all sorts, while the military has been made cynically the final subject of criticism.

The army in no way interferes in the political functioning of government even if the government performance remains poor.

The army helps when its effort is formally requisitioned by the civil government. Whenever the army takes over any task, it acts with absolute neutrality, without any favour or malice.

The army does not encourage any terror group or sect to victimise minorities or a particular sect. In fact, our defence forces are one elite institution where cast, colour, creed and sect is never questioned.

Everybody in the forces is comrade/brother-in-arms.

In Balochistan, the army acts legally when called for to prevent a few hundred terrorists taking the whole province hostage. They are not only terrorists but traitors as well, collaborating openly with foreign agencies and in ultimate analysis; history proves that causes of their miseries would always be located within their own leaders.

The army is a disciplined force of dignity and honour and speaks only discreetly, even in its defence but it does not mean that it is short of words to present realities.

Your correspondent has not only injured the pride of about a million of serving and retired soldiers but by implication has also towed the line blindly of the forces that are keen to strike at our centre of gravity for survival i.e., the army.

BRIG (Dr) (Rtd) ASLAM KHAN NIAZI Lahore