RAWALPINDI: Prime Minister Imran Khan, speaking at the main Defence Day ceremonyheldnearthe Martyrs`Monument on the lawns of GHQ on Thursday, rejected the perception of civil-military imbalance in the country as a myth and said both sides were united to make the country great once again.

`A myth of civil-military imbalance has been created. It looks as if some huge confrontation is going on. (But) there is no such thing. All of us have a common goal of making the country rise.

It is unprecedented, at least in recent times, for an elected prime minister to speak at an annual Defence Day ceremony at the military headquarters, where the Army Chief has always been the main speaker. The ceremony is held to commemorate Pakistan`s successful defence against Indian aggression in 1965. Since 2014 the ceremony also remembers those martyred in the fight against terrorism in which nearly 70,000 people, including thousands of troops and law enforcement agencies` personnel,havelost theirlives.

The talk of civil-military imbalance in which the military is accused of not giving civilians a free hand to run government affairs particularly in the key domains of foreign policy, security and national defence is an old one. However, the debate has turned nastier over thepast few years when the ties of then ruling party Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz with the military leadership became strained.

The optics changed after Imran Khan assumed the prime minister`s office. Last week, he visited GHQ for a security briefing where he was warmly welcomed by the military leadership with Army Chief Gen Qamar Bajwa going to the extent of thanking him for reposing confidence in the Army.

The prime minister praised the armed forces as the only functional institution in the country. He said it happened because professionalism and merit was followed there and it had remained safe from political interference. `Institutions are destroyed because of political interference and ignoring merit,` he underscored and said that wars `cannot destroy a country, but lack of justice and merit can do that`.

`I`ll try to bring meritocracy and strengthen institutions,` he said.

The newly elected prime minister mentioned water, energy and debt burden as the key challenges facing the country.

Assuring the audience that Pakistan was `destined to rise as a strong and united nation and again attain greatness`, he, however, said that for that to happen the commoners needed to be made stakeholders in the national af fairs by making their future secure, assuring justice, guaranteeing protection, and observing merit. He warned that countries where few were privileged did not become great nations.

Touching upon foreign policy, Mr Khan, who the other day had held some intense talks with a US delegation led by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, said only a foreign policy that served the country`s interest would be followed.

He said he too had remained opposed to the `war on terror` and would like to reassure his countrymen that Pakistan would not fight others` wars.

Army Chief Gen Bajwa opened his speech with a thanks note for those attending the ceremony, particularly the political leadership that had gathered there to express solidarity with armed forces and f amilies of the martyrs.

Besides PM Khan, his cabinet and legislators from the ruling coalition, presence of top opposition leaders including Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, who was seated next to Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Zubair Hayat, and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz president Shahbaz Sharif was rare.

`Seeing all of you here has boosted our confidence and morale. Your presence here is a testimony to the f act that all of us are united for the cause of national defence,` Gen Bajwa said and added that the nations that forgot their martyrs were wiped out.

He remarked that continuity of democracy was essential for national integrity, unity and development.

But, at the same time, he cautioned that democracy could not take root without observance of democratic attitudes, maintaining supremacy of Constitution, ensuring rule of law and strengthening institutions.

Gen Bajwa recalled the successes in the fight against terrorism, but noted that the war was still continuing and sustainable peace was yet to be achieved. He said the country would simultaneously have to launch `a second war` against hunger, poverty andilliteracy. Heemphasised national development alongside strengthening of military capabilities.

The army chief said Pakistan learned from wars in 1965 and 1971 and developed its military capability in difficult situations and its nuclear capability had made the country`s defences invincible.

Gen Bajwa also paid tribute to the Kashmiri uprising in the occupied valley.