Maryam lauds Field Marshal Munir's exceptional leadership during recent conflict with India

• Conflict within country dangerous for national security: Punjab CM.
• CM calls internal front essential for national security.
• Maryam says rehabilitation of flood victims top priority. 
  

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Saturday lauded Field Marshal Asim Munir for his exceptional leadership during Pakistan’s military standoff with India in May this year.

Addressing the participants of National Security and War Course 2026 at the CM House in Lahore, Maryam said that the nation remained indebted to the sacrifices of the armed forces.

"I would like to congratulate Pakistan Armed Forces and also the forces from the friendly countries on the historic victory of [operation] Bunyan-um-Marsoos," she said.

CM Maryam was of the view that Pakistan stood as a proud country due to the success of the operation.

She also heaped praise on Army Chief Field Marshal Munir for his leadership skills during Pakistan’s response to India’s aggression in May.

"I would like to commend and laud the exceptional leadership of Field Marshal Asim Munir in wartime," she said.

The Punjab CM, however, emphasised the importance of a stable and progressive internal front for national security.

"Internal weak front is a breeding ground for all ills. If the country is weak from the inside, even if there is no external threat, it poses a serious threat to national security," she said.

Citing the creation of Bangladesh in 1971, CM Maryam said that conflict within the country was dangerous for the national security of Pakistan.

Reflecting on recent floods, the Punjab chief minister lauded the efforts of her ministers and the provincial administration for taking timely measures to safeguard people across the province.

"My first priority is the rehabilitation of flood victims, with all the resources deployed for the rehabilitation operation," she said.

The Punjab CM stated that her government ensured the provision of three meals a day to flood-affected people, along with medical facilities across the province.

The recent floods, which severely damaged infrastructure and agriculture across the country, resulted in economic losses amounting to Rs371 billion.

The flash flooding and torrential rains also claimed over 1,000 lives across the country, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said.

Of the total 1,006 fatalities, Punjab recorded 304 deaths, including 110 children, 143 men, and 51 women.