Marshal says future leaders must remain vigilant to recognize and counter these multi-level cognitive challenges
Chief of Defense Force Field Marshal Asim Munir poses for a group photo with faculty and staff of the National Defense University during his visit to the institution in Islamabad on Tuesday. Photo: ISPR
Defense Force Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir said the country faced wide-ranging and persistent challenges, warning that hostile elements were increasingly adopting indirect and ambiguous tactics – including the use of proxies – to exploit internal fault lines rather than engaging in direct confrontation.
Chief of Defense Force (CDF) Field Marshal Asim Munir made the remarks during his visit to the National Defense University (NDU), where he interacted with civilian and military participants of the ongoing course on National Security and Warfare, according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Tuesday.
During the interaction, CDF Munir outlined the evolving global, regional and internal security environment, saying the country faces “vast and persistent challenges”.
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He said these challenges spanned “conventional, sub-conventional, intelligence, cybersecurity, information, military, economic and other domains,” requiring “comprehensive multi-domain preparedness, continuous adaptation and synergy among all elements of national power.”
The marshal warned that hostile elements are “increasingly resorting to indirect and ambiguous approaches, including the use of proxies to exploit internal fault lines, rather than open confrontation,” emphasizing that future leaders must be trained and remain vigilant to “recognize, anticipate and counter these multi-level cognitive challenges.”
He also highlighted the importance of making decisions in the face of uncertainty, saying “clarity and intellectual resilience are essential attributes for operating in today’s contested and diffuse security environment.”
Hailing the role of the National Defense University, the army chief described it as a premier institution for training strategic thinkers capable of translating “rigorous training and academic knowledge into effective policy formulation and operational outcomes.”
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He added that professional military training “remains essential to building institutional capacity, fostering indigenous capabilities and ensuring long-term national resilience.”
Concluding his speech, the marshal appreciated the “sharp analysis and conclusions” of the panels and urged the participants to remain “vigilant, adaptive and steadfast in upholding the values of integrity, discipline and selfless service”.
