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Islamabad: President Asif Ali Zardari has said that the people and armed forces of Pakistan remain ever ready to defend the motherland in the face of any challenge. He was addressing a special ceremony at Pakistan Monument in Islamabad to commemorate the first anniversary of Marka-e-Haq and Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos.
According to Radio Pakistan, President Zardari highlighted Pakistan’s calibrated yet befitting response to India’s unprovoked aggression in May last year, describing it as a defining chapter of world history. He praised the armed forces for making the nation proud and elevating national dignity on an international level.
The President remarked that Pakistan’s victory in Marka-e-Haq was not limited to military accomplishments but also demonstrated the unity and harmony of the entire nation. He also spoke about Pakistan’s recent mediatory role in the Iran-US conflict, emphasizing the country’s internationally recognized positive contribution to preventing a large-scale war.
Addressing the issue of terrorism, President Zardari stated that Indian-sponsored terrorism through Afghanistan must come to an end. He urged Afghanistan to ensure that its soil is not used against Pakistan. Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, he stressed the need for an early resolution of the Kashmir dispute to achieve lasting peace in the region.
The President reiterated Pakistan’s steadfast support for the oppressed Palestinian people in their rightful pursuit of an independent state with Al Quds Al Sharif as its capital. The ceremony was attended by high-ranking officials, including Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu, and Naval Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf.
At the beginning of the event, smartly turned out contingents of the three armed forces presented an impressive march past, marking the solemnity and significance of the occasion.