274th Corps Commanders Conference: Army’s top brass condemns attacks on Saudi Arabia as 'unnecessary escalation'

Rawalpindi (Web Desk): Pakistan’s senior military leadership has denounced the strikes targeting Saudi Arabia’s energy installations, calling them “an unnecessary escalation” amid the ongoing US-Israeli confrontation with Iran, the military’s media wing said on Tuesday.

According to a statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the remarks were made during the 274th Corps Commanders’ Conference, chaired by Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir at General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.

The statement noted that the forum praised the government’s “hectic efforts” to help bring the Middle East conflict to a close, “echoing the call for restraint, dialogue, and de-escalation, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to principled diplomacy and constructive engagement”.

“The forum reiterated Pakistan’s role as a responsible regional stakeholder, actively contributing to peace and stability as a regional security stabiliser,” it added.

Participants also voiced serious concern over the latest developments, strongly criticising the attacks on Saudi Arabia’s petrochemical and industrial sites as “an unnecessary escalation which spoils sincere efforts to resolve the conflict through peaceful means”.

The forum observed that Saudi Arabia’s careful and restrained response, despite “grave provocations”, had supported ongoing mediation and diplomatic initiatives.

At the same time, it cautioned that such “unwarranted aggressions have serious repercussions, to spoil the ongoing peaceful options and conducive environment”.

The ISPR said the meeting also included a detailed evaluation of the prevailing internal and external security landscape, “reaffirming that all terrorist proxies operating on behest of Indian and other external sponsors, along with their facilitators and abettors, will be pursued and eliminated, relentlessly, and without exception”.

The statement further said that Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, launched against the Afghan Taliban on February 26, would continue unabated until “the culmination of terrorists’ safe heavens and use of the Afghan soil against Pakistan is decisively brought to an end”.

The forum also dismissed what it termed “persistent disinformation, baseless allegations, and false flag narratives attributed to India”, stating that such claims have already been discredited at the international level.

“The forum expressed concern over continued human rights violations by Indian authorities in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), and noted the recent spate of fake encounters at various locations to cover up extrajudicial killings,” the statement said.

In his closing remarks, Field Marshal Asim Munir expressed satisfaction over the armed forces’ performance and commended their professionalism, operational capability, and unwavering resolve in safeguarding the country, particularly through intelligence-led counter-terrorism operations.

“He underscored that through the synergy of the government, armed forces, and the people, Pakistan continues to consolidate security gains, strengthen economic resilience, and enhance its regional and global standing,” the statement said.

The CDF also directed commanders to maintain peak operational readiness, uphold professionalism, and remain adaptable, expressing confidence in the military’s ability to counter all threats and defend Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

At the outset, the forum offered Fateha for the martyrs from the armed forces, law enforcement agencies, and civilians who lost their lives in service to the nation.

“Paying solemn tribute to their unmatched sacrifices, the forum reaffirmed that their legacy remains the bedrock of Pakistan’s national security,” the statement concluded.