The recent speech by the Chief of Army Staff has sent Twitteratis in a frenzy as users flood the platform with their reactions. India and Pakistan, as well as international users, have voiced their opinions regarding the speech.
Yesterday, at Islamabad Security Dialogue, General Bajwa stressed the need for establishing peace between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir issue as it is “time to bury the past and move forward.” He also stated that national security is not only restricted to arms, rather it is multi-layered.
“National security is thus multi-layered. The outer layer being the exogenous factors of the global and regional environment, and the internal layers being indigenous factors of internal peace, stability and developmental orientation”, he added.
Read more: Stable Indo-Pak relations key to unlock untapped potential of South Asia, COAS Bajwa
Twitter users have praised General Bajwa’s speech and his efforts for initiating peace between India and Pakistan. The Minister for Information and Broadcasting even called the speech eloquent.
“Insightful and eloquent speech by General Qamar Bajwa explains Pakistan’s security paradigm, ” Fawad Hussain tweeted.
Insightful and eloquent speech by #GenQamarBajwa explains Pakistans security paradigm, world must stand with this vision of peace and #ModiJanta must be made to realise that extremist and coercive attitude has no buyers in the world, peaceful South Asia is best bet
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) March 19, 2021
I hope the good, progressive & sane people of India will hear this & work towards this. The hate based ideology to capture the world’s largest democracy must move away from that strategy & open itself for a sincere dialogue that will actually help people.https://t.co/9w9ujy4ThZ
— Fakhr-e-Alam S.I & S.E (@falamb3) March 18, 2021
However, General Bajwa’s speech has divided Twitter as people are comparing his speech to what ex-PM Nawaz Sharif said in 2016.
Act against militants or face international isolation.
Above statement was by PM Nawaz back in 2016, after 5 years COAS admitting that we have to put our house in order.
Who is more visionary ?
Civilian PM or COAS?#ڈان_لیکس_پر_معافی_مانگو https://t.co/fPLW3lLj9r— Inam Abbasi (@InamAbbasi11) March 18, 2021
Dawn Leaks
#ڈان_لیکس_پر_معافی_مانگو pic.twitter.com/ErdtpWapsA— Political Majesty (@GlobalAnalyzer) March 18, 2021
According to Twitter users, Nawaz Sharif was called a traitor for stating the same things that General Bajwa has said, and they have demanded an apology regarding the Dawn Leaks.
And Nawaz Sharif was called a Traitor for saying exact same words. The question is will ISPR issue a statement on twitter "the Speech is rejected" after this speech of COAS Bajwa or they're going to digest it this time?? #ڈان_لیکس_پر_معافی_مانگو pic.twitter.com/rFoJf9a71X
— Osama Khan 🇵🇰 (@oakdurrani) March 18, 2021
Others questioned how the comparison could even be made and said the comments were deliberately being twisted.
https://twitter.com/schaheid/status/1372646394280960001?s=20
https://twitter.com/MusaNV18/status/1372608138428493827?s=20
Meanwhile, users from India have mocked the speech with claims that Pakistan has shown defeat.