The Pakistan Army on Thursday dismissed reports that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir had linked political reconciliation to a “sincere apology” during his recent visit to Brussels.

The clarification came after senior journalist Suhail Warraich, in an August 16 column for Daily Jang, suggested that the army chief, in an informal conversation in Belgium, had remarked that reconciliation was only possible through apologies. Although the column did not specify which political actors were being referred to, subsequent media reports tied the statement to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Addressing the matter, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry told reporters that the COAS “made no political statement in Brussels, did not mention PTI, and spoke of no apology.” He further clarified that the army chief gave no formal interview during his stopover in the Belgian capital.

Reiterating the military’s stance on the May 9, 2023 riots, Lt Gen Chaudhry said those involved in the attacks on state and military installations, along with their planners and facilitators, must be held accountable under the law. “May 9 is not just the army’s case but the nation’s case,” he remarked.

The ISPR chief also stressed the need to fully implement the 2014 National Action Plan, pointing out that only its first point has been enforced so far. He added that the armed forces and law enforcement agencies are “filling governance gaps with their blood.”

Commenting on broader security challenges, Lt Gen Chaudhry said Pakistan had successfully thwarted India’s designs, while warning that efforts to expel illegal Afghan nationals involved in crimes continue to face resistance from political and criminal groups within the country.