Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa said on Wednesday that it was not posible for the army to stay silent if it sensed the conspiracy against the country.

“Today, I am addressing the Defence and Martyrs Day as the army chief for the last time,” Gen Bajwa said at the start of his speech at the Defence and Martyrs day ceremony which is held annually at the General Headquarters (GHQ) Rawalpindi on September 6 to commemorate the sacrifices of fallen heroes of the 1965 war. However, it was postponed this year in solidarity with flood victims across the country.

The army chief said that armies around the world were seldom criticised. “But our army is often subjected to criticism. I think reason for that is the army’s involvement in politics.”

The army chief said that the involvement of the army in the country’s politics was unconstitutional. “That is why in February, the army decided not to interfere in politics,” he clarified.

“Many sectors subjected the army to criticism and used inappropriate language,” he said, adding that a “false narrative was created”, from which “an escape is now being attempted”.

He said the army had started its process of “catharsis” and expected that political parties would follow suit as well and reflect on their behaviour. “This is the reality that there have been mistakes from every institution, including political parties and civil society.”

The army chief said that the main task of the army is to protect the geographical borders of the country, but the Pakistan Army is busy serving the nation beyond its capacity.

“During my six-year period of the Army Command, I went to the homes of thousands of martyrs to condole and it is good that I always found their morale high, which strengthened my morale as well. We will not let the sacrifices of your loved ones go in vain.”

Gen Bajwa is set to retire on November 29 after commanding the army for six years. He was appointed army chief in 2016 for a three-year tenure, which was extended by three years in after parliament legislated on the tenures of services chiefs on the orders of the Supreme Court.

The army chief praised the courage and patience of the family members of the martyrs. “I assure you that the army will never leave you alone.”

General Bajwa during his address also spoke about the history, saying that he wanted to “correct” some facts regarding 1971.

“East Pakistan was not a military but a political failure. Our soldiers fought courageously,” he said and added that the number of soldiers fighting there was not 92,000 but was only 34,000 who fought against 250,000 Indian forces.

“Our army fought bravely and made unprecedented sacrifices, which was acknowledged by former Indian Army chief field marshal,” he said and regretted that the sacrifices of these brave ghazis and martyrs had not been acknowledged by the nation to date.