Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recalled the commemorates befitting response of Pakistan to India during Marka-i-Haq on Sunday as he addressed a ceremony held at the Pakistan Monument in Islamabad to mark the conflict’s first anniversary.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir were among those attending the ceremony in Islamabad, where Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Baber Sidhu were also present.
PM Shehbaz began his address by observing one minute of silence for those martyred during the period of conflict. Recalling the conflict, PM Shehbaz said that India “using Pahalgam as an excuse, made baseless accusations against us”. And despite Pakistan offering a transparent investigation into the incident, the “enemy, in the dark of the night, attacked our mosques and children, imposing an unprovoked war on us”.
“Our brave armed forces gave a historic response to the attack that the enemy carried out in the darkness of the night,” he said, adding that “our Shaheens dominated the conflict”.
Consequently, he continued, India was compelled to request a ceasefire after four hours. He also noted that even one year after the Pahalgam attack, India had not been able to present any evidence of Pakistan’s alleged involvement in the incident. He said there was no doubt Operation Bunyanum Marsoos was not just a historic win but also a glowing victory of national honour, principles and self-respect.
The PM announced that ‘Youm-i-Bunyanum Marsoos’ would be marked on May 10 every year from now onwards. He paid tributes to the armed forces, particularly mentioning CDF Munir, who he said had set new examples of bravery and courage during Marka-i-Haq.
He added that this “tale of bravery will remain incomplete without the mention of ACM Sidhu and his Shaheens … who laid bare the reality behind the claims of the adversary’s aerial power. ACM Sidhu, I also pay tribute to you and congratulate your Shaheens from the bottom of my heart.”
PM Shehbaz also lauded the country’s navy and its chief, saying that the adversaries could not muster the courage to enter our waters during Marka-i-Haq.
Addressing the event, President Zardari termed Marka-i-Haq as one of the most important chapters in Pakistan’s national history.
He said that India chose unprovoked aggression on the basis of false flag Pahalgam incident, and launched an airstrike on Pakistan’s civilian and worship places without any justification. And India’s media misled the nation by presenting fabricated stories.
To that, Pakistan gave a shocking response to the Indian aggression under the leadership of General Asim Munir.
President Zardari said that despite its military capabilities, Pakistan chose to exercise restraint. He said the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) proved during Marka-i-Haq that they were second to none. “Our pilots faced a larger adversary, but with its extraordinary skills and confidence, it defended our skies,” President Zardari said, recalling that Pakistan downed eight Indian aircraft, “delivering a response that became a defining moment of the resolve and national pride”.
He also commended the Pakistan Navy, which he said, “through their operational preparation and combat capabilities, defended our seas”. The president said India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty after the Pahalgam incident amounted to water-terrorism.
President Zardari remarked that the diplomatic efforts of CDF Munir and PM Shehbaz particularly concerning its mediatory role in the US-Iran conflict had earned Pakistan the reputation.