Pahalgam terror attack: Pakistan army chief General Munir reiterates ‘two-nation’ theory; Islamabad halts canals project

Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir, while highlighting the ‘two-nation’ theory, said on Saturday that Hindus and Muslims are two separate nations, and that Muslims are distinct from Hindus in all aspects of life.

According to a PTI report, Munir said, “The two-nation theory was based on the fundamental belief that Muslims and Hindus are two separate nations, not one. Muslims are distinct from Hindus in all aspects of life – religion, customs, traditions, thinking and aspirations.”

He was addressing the passing out parade of cadets at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul area of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.

Munir's statement comes amidst the rising tensions between India and Pakistan following a deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam district on April 22, which killed 26 civilians, mostly tourists.

General Munir went on to say that Pakistan was achieved after many sacrifices and it was the duty of the armed forces to keep it safe. “Our forefathers made immense sacrifices for the creation of Pakistan. We know how to defend it," PTI quoted him as saying.

Munir's emphasis on the ‘two-nation’ theory

This isn't the first time that Munir has emphasised on the ‘two-nation’ theory. Earlier on April 16, while addressing a Convention for Overseas Pakistanis in Islamabad, Munir claimed that Hindus and Muslims are different nations, and urged the audience to tell the story of creation of Pakistan to their children.

“You have to tell Pakistan's story to your children so that they don’t forget that our forefathers thought we were different from Hindus in every possible aspect of life,” he said, evoking the ‘two-nation’ theory propagated by Pakistan's founder MA Jinnah.

“Our religions are different, our customs are different, our traditions are different, our thoughts are different, our ambitions are different. That was the foundation of the two-nation theory that was laid there. We are two nations, we are not one nation,” he added.

Prior to it, in the same address, speaking about Kashmir, he had said, “Our stance is very clear, it was our jugular vein, it will be our jugular vein, and we will not forget it. We will not leave our Kashmiri brothers in their heroic struggle," according to the PTI report.

Pakistan halts canals project 

Pakistan government has decided to halt the ambitious Cholistan canals project after India decided to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in the wake of deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, the report added.

India announced to halt the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), prompting Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to meet PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and agreed to hold the canals project.

They also agreed that the contentious canals project will remain suspended until a consensus on the issue could be reached in the Council of Common Interests (CCI), a high powered inter-provincial body to tackle controversies between provinces, the PTI report said.

Army chief General Asim Munir and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had inaugurated the Cholistan project in February to irrigate the desert region in Punjab province.