— PM, president pay rich tributes to ‘valiant’ army, ‘brave’ nation
— Chief says the day symbolises army’s ‘unwavering resolve’ to defend Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said it’s a matter of great pride that the “valiant” army and the “brave” nation have carried forward the proud legacy of the 1965 war between Pakistan and India by successfully defanging the menace of militancy and extremism in the over two-decades old struggle.
“Hats off also to the heroes and survivors, the men and women in uniform, the personnel of police and other law enforcement and intelligence agencies, who are vigilantly safeguarding the frontiers of the motherland from the external and internal threats in harsh weathers and hostile environments,” the prime minister said in his message on Defence Day observed on Tuesday.
قوم آج یوم دفاع پاکستان کے موقع پر اپنے شہداء اور غازیوں کو سلام عقیدت پیش کرتی ہے جنہوں نے بھارتی جارحیت کے خلاف مادر وطن کے تحفظ کے لئے اپنی جانوں کے نذرانے پیش کئے۔ مسلح افواج اور قوم نے متحد ہوکر اپنی جغرافیائی سالمیت کے خلاف بھارتی جنگی جنون کو خاک میں ملا دیا۔
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) September 6, 2022
Today, he said, the nation was paying rich tributes to the brave sons of the soil, especially the dead who laid down their lives while fearlessly and bravely fighting against the enemy.
“We owe great respect to the parents and families of martyrs who courageously bore the loss of their near and dear ones,” he added.
While they were celebrating the Diamond Jubilee of Pakistan’s independence, the prime minister said his message on the day to the sons and daughters of soil was to keep the flame and the spirit of September 6 alive in their hearts.
“I call on the nation to forge unity in their ranks, for no conspiracy and challenge can succeed if the people are united in their resolve to protect their freedom and defeat such nefarious elements,” he added.
He said the best tribute to the sacrifices of their dead was to rebuild Pakistan in line with the vision of the founding fathers.
“A country that is strong economically, stable politically and harmonious socially can better defend itself, and promote and safeguard its vital foreign policy objectives. This is what the coalition government is aiming to achieve,” he added.
Sharif said September 6 was remembered as a symbol of courage, a display of unmatched resilience and the spirit of supreme sacrifice by the valiant sons of the soil.
The war entailed fierce fighting, particularly between tank units, and it is thought both sides suffered more than 3,000 casualties.
“On this day, 57 years ago, the brave armed forces of Pakistan proved to the world that they were ever ready to defend every inch of the motherland, no matter what the cost,” Sharif added.
The entire nation, the prime minister said, while displaying unprecedented unity and resolute strength, came forward for the support of their armed forces.
The show of unprecedented unity and solidarity of the nation galvanized the officers and jawans, pilots and sailors in their fight to secure the motherland against the Indian aggression, he added.
“On this occasion today, I congratulate the military leadership on successfully bringing Operation Raddul Fasaad to its logical conclusion. I also commend the role of the security forces, especially the army and navy personnel in saving the lives of thousands of people during recent floods in Balochistan, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and southern Punjab,” the prime minister said.
He said the armed forces’ role in maintaining peace in various countries under the United Nations banner was also being acknowledged worldwide. It showed their commitment to the establishment of sustainable peace, particularly in the region.
“This commitment is the hallmark of our foreign policy. However, with the desire for durable peace, Pakistan cannot remain oblivious to the need for the strengthening of our defence and the procurement of modern-day equipment despite the difficult economic situation,” he added.
The occupied Jammu and Kashmir was a flashpoint between the two nuclear powers of South Asia, the prime minister said, adding the sooner it was resolved according to the UN resolutions, the better it was for regional peace and development.
“I urge the international community to bring their influence to bear upon New Delhi to reverse the actions it took with respect to the region on August 5, 2019. The ball to create a conducive environment for the resolution of the meaningful talks with Pakistan is in India’s court,” he added.
UNPRECEDENTED COURAGE
Meanwhile, President Dr Arif Alvi said the day reminded him of the “unprecedented courage and valour” displayed by the army with the support and backing of the entire nation.
In his message, the president said: “On this day, 57 years ago, we thwarted the evil design of the enemy and defeated it on all fronts. During that testing time, not only the armed forces of Pakistan fought fearlessly on the ground, in the air and in waters, but each and every person came out to defend and safeguard the motherland.”
صدر مملکت ڈاکٹر عارف علوی کا یوم دفاع وشہدا کے موقع پرقوم کے نام پیغام
یوم دفاع وشہدا ہمیں مسلح افواج اور قوم کی بے مثال جرات اور بہادری کی یاد دلاتا ہے، صدر مملکت
آج سے 57 سال قبل ہماری مسلح افواج اور قوم نے جارح دشمن کے ناپاک عزائم کو ناکام بنایا، صدر مملکت pic.twitter.com/I1fHeJ2bUz
— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) September 6, 2022
September 6, therefore, stands out in history as a symbol of unwavering national resolve, absolute patriotism, profound professionalism and supreme sacrifice.”
“It is the milestone that generations look upon to reinforce their resolve for keeping the defence of homeland dearer than their own lives. I salute the Martyrs who laid down their lives while fighting for the safety and security of the motherland; I salute the families of the Shuhada for setting a great example of sacrificing their loved ones, and I also salute the valiant survivors who heroically fought while defending every inch of our territory.”
Alvi said the nation as a whole and the army have displayed the same ‘Spirit of September’, courage and commitment in all testing times — be it a war imposed by the enemy or a situation that emerged out of a national calamity.
“Our success in the two decades-long war against terror and the Pakistan Armed Forces’ contribution to peace missions worldwide is a matter of great pride which is also rightly acknowledged by the international community.
“Pakistan is committed to peace and will continue to follow its policy of peaceful coexistence. At the same time, I must emphasize that our desire for peace must not be misconstrued as our weakness. We are well aware of our national as well as international obligations,” he added.
He called on India to abide by its international obligation of protecting human rights especially towards resolving the longstanding issue of Kashmir by following the UN resolutions. Kashmir is the unfinished agenda of the Partition.
“It has to be resolved to mitigate the sufferings of Kashmiri people and to ensure lasting peace in the region. Being the supreme commander of the Armed Forces of Pakistan, it is a matter of great pride and satisfaction for me that the nation has complete confidence and trust in the capability, commitment, professionalism and combat readiness of our civil and armed forces as well as the security agencies to meet any kind of eventuality and face any kind of challenge at the external or internal front.
I commend their role in national development and saving precious lives during floods or other natural disasters.”
“I once again salute the valiant sons and daughters of the soil who sacrificed their lives while defending the motherland. Let us make a resolve that while keeping alive the same ‘Spirit of September’ in our hearts, we shall continue to play our roles towards safeguarding the country as well as securing a prosperous future of the nation,” the president added.
Meanwhile, quoting the army chief, Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the day symbolises the unwavering resolve of the armed forces, backed by the “great Pakistani nation to defend [the] motherland against all odds”.
6 Sep symbolises unwavering resolve of Pak Armed Forces backed by great Pak Nation 2 defend motherland against all odds.Nation salutes our heroes. “We owe our freedom & peace to unprecedented sacrifices of martyrs 2 keep the flag high” COAS.#OurMartyrsOurHeroes#JurratKeNishaan
— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) September 6, 2022
“We owe our freedom and peace to unprecedented sacrifices of martyrs to keep the flag high,” it added.
