ISLAMABAD: Defence and Martyrs Day is being observed across Pakistan today to pay tribute to the martyrs and Ghazis who rendered sacrifices for the defence of the motherland and to reaffirm the nation’s resolve to defend the country against all threats.
The day commemorates September 6, 1965, when Indian forces crossed the international border and launched an attack on Pakistan. The nation, backed by its Armed Forces, foiled the enemy’s designs and defended the country’s territorial integrity.
The day began with a 31-gun salute in the federal capital and 21-gun salutes in provincial capitals. Special prayers were offered after Fajr for the progress, prosperity and security of Pakistan, as well as the freedom of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in separate messages, paid heartfelt tribute to the martyrs and veterans of Pakistan’s Armed Forces.
President Zardari said September 6 serves as a reminder that when a nation stands united in defence of its freedom, sovereignty and homeland, no force can defeat its resolve.
He said the unity and spirit of faith demonstrated by the Armed Forces and the Pakistani nation in 1965 remained a manifestation of the country’s collective strength.
The President also stressed that lasting peace in South Asia could not be achieved without resolving the Kashmir dispute in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the government would continue taking resolute measures to strengthen Pakistan’s security, sovereignty and defence while pursuing economic development, political stability and public welfare.
Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu and Commander National Strategic Command General Syed Aamer Raza also paid profound tribute to the martyrs and veterans of the Armed Forces.
The nation is observing the day with renewed commitment to national unity, sovereignty and the defence of Pakistan.
