Islamabad, May 1, IRNA – Pakistan’s Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has said that the country is still in the state of war but will emerge ‘victorious in its fight against the terrorists and extremists’.

The army chief was speaking at a gathering of top military officials, foreign defence attaches, ministers and relatives of those who have lost lives in the war, in the army headquarters in Rawalpindi.

“The country and the state are still in a state of war despite unprecedented sacrifices made by the people and security forces in the campaign against terrorists and extremists,” General Kayani said while addressing the function marking the army’s Day of Martyrs.

The army chief referred to the unilateral US raid in Abbottabad that killed Osama bin Laden in May last year and a NATO air strike that left 24 Pakistani soldiers dead in November and said “some foreign elements had launched a campaign of mistrust” despite the sacrifices made by the Pakistani people and armed forces.

“This campaign pushed the entire nation into a psychological crisis and forced the nation to review relations with others”, he said.

He declared support for democratic system and said that the country’s development and welfare depend on state institutions functioning within their constitutional limits.

“The country’s Constitution has clearly defined the responsibilities and functions of national institutions and it is incumbent on them to perform their duties with constitutional limits,” General Kayani said.

In an apparent reference to Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani’s conviction of contempt by the Supreme Court for refusing to act on orders to revive graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari, the army chief said the prime objective of the democratic system is to ensure the welfare, happiness and increased dignity of the people and the establishment of a balanced society where every person can get justice equally”.

“This is the only way which can further strengthen Pakistan’s national security,” he said during the late night ceremony to honour soldiers killed in the line of duty and while fighting extremists.