6th September Defence day: Message from DR. ARIF ALVI President Islamic Republic of Pakistan

TEXT: The Defence Day of Pakistan reminds us of the spirit and valour of Pakistan Armed Forces and the nation, by which they thwarted the evil designs of the enemy on this day, 55 years ago. Displaying exemplary courage and professionalism, our Army, Navy and Air Force defeated the enemy on all fronts. In that testing time, not only the Armed Forces fought fearlessly, but every citizen and segment of society became a defender of the country. The nation today salutes the martyrs as well as their families for their fortitude; they set a great example of patriotism by sacrificing their loved ones for defence of the country.

The Spirit of September, 1965 still lives in our hearts and I can proudly say that because of this, we have come up successful in many testing times. Al Hamd-o-Lillah, our Armed Forces' professional excellence, combat readiness, and above all their unwavering faith in Allah has made Pakistan invincible. It makes me happy to state that we have achieved self-reliance in the defence field. Besides safeguarding the frontiers, the Armed Forces are playing active role in internal security as well as the nation building. We have also made serious efforts with a positive approach towards securing peace in the region but unfortunately, our enemy keeps hostile designs against us. It is covertly engaged in destabilizing Pakistan and its aggressive policies pose a threat to regional peace and stability. Nevertheless, our policy, in this regard, is firm and clear. We shall never compromise on the sovereignty and security of the country and any kind of misadventure by the enemy will be dealt with severely. Today, we reaffirm our pledge that we will continue to support the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) in their struggle till the realisation of the right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions.

Nations that stand firm against odds and show steadfastness in the face of hardships always emerge out stronger. We have thwarted external aggression; we have successfully defeated terrorism and extremism, and now we are on the path towards economic prosperity. Lastly, I would once again pay homage to our great heroes who sacrificed their lives for the motherland. Let's today make a resolve afresh that while keeping alive in our hearts the Spirit of September, we will play our role in safeguarding the sovereignty, security, and prosperity of our country.

Pakistan Armed Forces Zindabad, Pakistan Paindabad!

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