Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir on Monday said that a nexus between “internal collusive elements and external forces to create instability” in the country had been “amply exposed” to the people of Pakistan.

According to a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the COAS made the statement during a visit to the Quetta Garrison where he was received by the Commander Quetta Corps and addressed the officers of Command and Staff College Quetta.

During his address, the army chief “emphasised upon operational preparedness for conventional, sub-conventional and fifth-generation warfare”, the ISPR statement said.

He further stated that “those who were making futile efforts to drive a wedge and weaken the unbreakable bond between the people of Pakistan and its armed forces will never be able to succeed.”

The COAS added that the “armed forces of Pakistan remain perpetually indebted to the valiant and proud people of Pakistan who, through the recent manifestation of their unique love for their armed forces across the length and breadth of the country, have given a befitting reply to the nefarious designs of the enemy and their collaborators.”

The army chief’s comments come on the heels of a string of strongly worded statements issued by the military, condemning the events of the May 9 riots.

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The ISPR statement further quoted him as saying that the Pakistan Army was “one of the strongest armies of the world”.

“With the blessings of Allah and undaunted support of the proud people of Pakistan, [it] can neither be deterred nor coerced by anyone,” he said.

The army chief also visited various welfare schemes for soldiers in the Quetta Garrison.