Defence & Martyrs Day 6 September 2022: Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan

TEXT: The 6th of September is remembered as a symbol of courage, display of unmatched resilience and the spirit of supreme sacrifice by the valiant sons of the soil. On this day, 57 years ago, our brave armed forces of Pakistan proved to the world that they are ever ready to defend every inch of the motherland, no matter what the cost. The entire Pakistani nation, while displaying unprecedented unity and resolute strength, came forward for the support of their armed forces. The show of unprecedented unity and solidarity of the nation galvanized our officers and jawans, pilots and sailors in theirfight to secure the motherland against the Indian aggression.

Today, the nation is paying its rich tributes to the brave sons of the soil, especially our worthy martyrs who laid down their lives while fearlessly and bravely fighting against the enemy, who was much bigger in numerical strength. We owe great respect to the parents and families of Shuhada who courageously bore the loss of their near and dear ones. Hats off also to the heroes and ghazis, the men and women in uniform, the personnel of police and other law enforcement and intelligence agencies, who are vigilantly safeguarding the frontiers of the motherland from the external and internal threats in harsh weathers and hostile environments. It is matter of great pride that the valiant armed forces and the brave Pakistani nation have carried forward the proud legacy of the 1965 war by successfully defeating the monsters of terrorism and extremism in their two-decade-long struggle.

On this occasion today, I congratulate the military leadership on successfully bringing Operation Raddul Fasaad to its logical conclusion. I also commend the role of the security forces, especially the army and navy personnel in saving the lives of thousands of people during recent floods in Balochistan, Sindh, KP and Southern Punjab. Our armed forces' role in maintaining peace in various countries under the UN banner is also being acknowledged worldwide. This shows our commitment to the establishment of sustainable peace, particularly in the region. This commitment is the hallmark of our foreign policy. However, with the desire for durable peace, Pakistan cannot remain oblivious to the need for the strengthening of our defense and the procurement of modern-day equipment despite the difficult economic situation. Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir is a flashpoint between the two nuclear powers of South Asia. The sooner it is resolved according to the UN resolutions the better it is for regional peace and development. I urge the international community to bring their influence to bear upon New Delhi to reverse the actions it took with respect to IIOJ&K on August 5, 2019. The ball to create a conducive environment for the resolution of the meaningful talks with Pakistan is in India's court. While we are celebrating the Diamond Jubilee of Pakistan's Independence this year, my message on this day to the sons and daughters of the soil is to keep the flame and the spirit of September 6 alive in their hearts. I call upon the nation to forge unity in their ranks, for no conspiracy and challenge can succeed if the people are united in their resolve to protect their freedom and defeat such nefarious elements. The best tribute to the sacrifices of our martyrs is to rebuild Pakistan in line with the vision of our founding fathers. A country that is strong economically, stable politically and harmonious socially can better defend itself and promote and safeguard its vital foreign policy objectives. This is what the coalition government is aiming to achieve.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022