Pakistan Army Chief stresses multi-domain preparedness during NDU visit

Islamabad: Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), HJ — Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and Chief of Defence Force (CDF) — on Tuesday visited the National Defence University (NDU) in Islamabad, where he engaged with civil and military participants of the ongoing National Security and War Course and reviewed their academic assessments of Pakistan’s security challenges.
Addressing the participants, the Field Marshal described a complex and evolving global, regional and internal security environment, saying Pakistan faces sustained challenges across multiple domains. He noted that threats now extend beyond conventional warfare to include sub-conventional, intelligence, cyber, information, military and economic spheres, underscoring the need for comprehensive, multi-domain preparedness and close coordination among all elements of national power.
He warned that hostile actors are increasingly relying on indirect and ambiguous strategies, including the use of proxies to exploit internal fault lines, rather than engaging in overt confrontation. In this context, he emphasized the importance of training future leaders to recognize, anticipate and counter layered and cognitive threats.

Highlighting leadership requirements in modern conflict settings, the Field Marshal said clarity in decision-making under uncertainty and intellectual resilience are essential attributes in today’s contested and diffused security landscape.
Commending NDU’s role as a premier institution for strategic education, he said professional military education remains central to building institutional capacity, fostering indigenous capabilities and ensuring long-term national resilience. He praised the participants’ analysis and conclusions, urging them to remain vigilant, adaptive and committed to the values of integrity, discipline and selfless service.
The COAS & CDF was received on arrival by the President of the National Defence University.