The top brass of Pakistan’s military vowed to comprehensively defeat the threat of what it termed “digital terrorism”, which aims to “induce despondency in the Pakistani nation” and “sow discord among national institutions”.

According to a press release from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the consensus was reached during the 83rd Formation Commanders’ Conference at the General Headquarters on Thursday.

The annual conference, which discusses geostrategic dynamics and national security, was chaired by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Asim Munir.

Corps commanders, principal staff officers and all formation commanders were also in attendance.

“The forum offered fatiha (prayers) and paid tribute to the supreme sacrifices of shuhadas (martyrs), including officers and men of the armed forces, law enforcement agencies and citizens of Pakistan who laid their lives for the country’s safety, security, and sovereignty,” the military’s media wing said.

According to the statement, the forum underscored the threat of “politically motivated and vested digital terrorism”.

The meeting stated that digital terrorism, allegedly perpetrated by those abetted by foreign cohorts, “is clearly meant to try to induce despondency in the Pakistani nation, to sow discord among national institutions […] and the people of Pakistan by peddling blatant lies, fake news, and propaganda”.

“However, the nation is fully cognisant of their ugly and ulterior motives and surely the designs of these nefarious forces will be comprehensively defeated, InshaAllah (God willing),” the COAS is quoted as saying.

The forum added that those responsible for the May 9 riots “need to be brought to justice for the collective good of the country”, adding that without swift justice and establishing the rule of law, “stability in the country will ever remain hostage to the machinations of such elements”.

Meanwhile, the corp commanders expressed serious concerns over continuous cross-border terrorist attacks orchestrated using Afghan soil, alleging that hostile foreign actors were using Afghanistan to target personnel and civilians inside Pakistan.

The forum acknowledged the priceless sacrifices of citizens in the Newly Merged Districts (NMDs) in the war against terrorism and underscored the importance of uplifting those areas, the media wing’s statement read.

Similarly, the commanders highlighted the need for socio-economic development in Balochistan to counter “externally-propagated narratives of exclusion”, which they said are reportedly employed to “lead Balochistan’s youth away from peace and progress”.

According to the ISPR, the conference’s participants also expressed solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing crisis in the Gaza Strip and oppressed Kashmiris in Indian-held Kashmir.

The commanders expressed complete solidarity with the Kashmiri people in their “just struggle for the inalienable right to self-determination as enshrined in UNSC Resolutions”, the statement said.

The forum showed concern over the treatment of minorities, especially Muslims, in India and noted the growing fascism being perpetrated to achieve vested political ends.

The conference’s members also condemned serious human rights violations perpetrated by Israel, and supported the International Court of Justice’s ruling to halt military operations in Rafah and all other operations within the Gaza Strip.

COAS Munir briefed the conference on the geostrategic dynamics of the region, emerging challenges to national security and the army’s strategy to counter threats in multiple domains.

The attendees were also briefed on technological innovations to modernize the army in line with a “fast-evolving” operational environment.

The COAS appreciated the high standard of training displayed during exercises and the excellent performance of officers and troops in counter-terrorism operations.

He commended the formation commanders for their high morale and operational readiness.