Nothing was more sacred than guarding the frontiers of the “beloved country”, Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir said on Saturday.

The army chief spent the Eid day with troops deployed along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border at Bajaur. The COAS was received by the Peshawar Corps commander.

He offered Eid prayer with the officers and troops and appreciated their high morale, said an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release.

“For defenders of Pakistan, irrespective of the difficult terrain or weather and despite being away from the loved ones, duty takes precedence and nothing is more sacred than guarding the frontiers of our beloved country,” he said.

The army was committed to defending the frontiers of the country, he said and added that armed forces were always ready to thwart any threat to ensure the territorial integrity of Pakistan.

He paid rich tribute to the martyrs. “On this day of Eid, we must not forget those who laid their lives for the defence of the motherland and eliminating the scourge of terrorism.”

The army chief extended well wishes to the families of martyrs. He appreciated the “operational vigil” of troops guarding the border.