The country’s top military brass, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari have paid glowing tributes to soldiers and martyrs from the armed forces as the nation observes the 60th Defence Day today.
The Defence Day is observed every year on September 6 to commemorate the legacy of the 1965 War, “when the Indian forces crossed international border in the darkness of night to attack Pakistan but the nation foiled [the] nefarious designs of the enemy,” a report by the state broadcaster Radio Pakistan recalled.
The report said the commemoration began with a 31-gun salute in Islamabad and 21-gun salute in provincial capitals.
“Special prayers were offered in mosques for the progress and prosperity of the country, and independence of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir from the clutches of India,” it added.
Karachi marked Defence Day with a changing of the guard at Quaid-i-Azam’s mausoleum, performed by a contingent from the Pakistan Air Force.
DawnNewsTV broadcast images showing personnel marching, performing elaborate display drills, singing the national anthem and hoisting the flag at the Karachi landmark.
Air Vice Marshal Shehryar Khan also attended the ceremony.
A contingent of Pakistan Air Force personnel performs a parade to mark Defence Day at the Mazar-i-Quaid in Karachi on September 6. — AFP
In his address broadcast on DawnNewsTV, he said: “The people and protectors of Pakistan, whether they are on the battlefield, the frontiers or in the streets of our cities, are always prepared.
“The recent operation Bunyanum Marsoos brought back the memory of September 6, 1965. It proved that if our armed forces and brave people stand together, then no power can defeat us
“… Any act of aggression against Pakistan will be met with a befitting response. The score will not be 6-0, but, with the help of God, 60-0,” he added.
During a brief military confrontation with India in May, New Delhi launched air strikes that killed civilians. In retaliation, the Pakistan Air Force downed six Indian planes in air-to-air combat on May 7.
In Lahore, a changing of the guard ceremony took place at Mazar-i-Iqbal, with Lahore Corps Commander Lieutenant General Fayyaz Hussain Shah attending as the chief guest, according to state broadcaster PTV News.
“The corps commander visited Iqbal’s mausoleum, where he laid a wreath of flowers and recited the fatiha,” the report read.
PTV News added that the occasion was commemorated with a 21-gun salute, as well as a gun salute by a contingent from the Pakistan Army.
‘Courage of fearless heroes continues to inspire future generations’
A statement issued by the military’s media affairs wing in relevance to the day said that on behalf of the armed forces, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf and Chief Air Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu paid tributes and “offered their deepest respect to the valiant martyrs and their families on the 60th Defence and Martyrs’ Day”.
“September 6, 1965, epitomises the unflinching resolve and unshakeable spirit of the Pakistani nation. On this historic day, our brave soldiers, with the support of nation, stood like an insurmountable wall against blatant aggression, thwarting the nefarious designs of an enemy far superior in arms and numbers.
“The feats of heroic valour and sacrifice left an indelible message on the sands of time, that a united nation can never be defeated,” it added.
The statement further stated that the “courage of our fearless heroes continues to inspire future generations and their legacy shall live on forever”.
