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<\/p>\nISLAMABAD, Thursday, May 15, 2025 : President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday reaffirmed Pakistan\u2019s unyielding commitment to safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity, stating that any aggression against the homeland would be responded to with full force.<\/p>\n
His remarks came in a message issued on the eve of Youm-e-Tashakur (Thanksgiving Day), being observed nationwide on Friday to commemorate Pakistan\u2019s military victory over India during the recently concluded Operation Bunyan-ul-Marsoos.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a proud moment for the entire nation as we celebrate the success of our armed forces in repelling unprovoked Indian aggression,\u201d President Zardari said. \u201cI thank Almighty Allah for granting us this victory in a critical hour.\u201d<\/p>\n
He lauded the bravery and professionalism of the Armed Forces, and paid tribute to the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu, and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf. \u201cThis triumph is not just for our forces\u2014it belongs to every Pakistani who stood united, like a fortified wall, against the enemy,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
The President stressed that Pakistan is a peace-loving country with no hostile intentions but warned that peace should never be mistaken for weakness. \u201cPakistan will never compromise on its sovereignty, territorial integrity, or national interests. Any aggression will be met with full force,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He also denounced India\u2019s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, asserting that Pakistan would use all elements of national power to protect its water rights. \u201cOur patience and operational effectiveness compelled the enemy to cease its aggression. We stood firm, stood united, and emerged with dignity,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a separate message marking Thanksgiving Day, paid rich tribute to the martyrs and soldiers who led the nation to victory in what he called Marka-e-Haq (Battle of Truth).<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe entire country is observing Youm-e-Tashakur to thank Almighty Allah for the resounding success achieved against India\u2019s open provocation,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen the enemy struck during the midnight hours of May 6 and 7, claiming innocent lives, we were left with no option but to respond\u2014and we did so with full strength.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Prime Minister said the world witnessed Pakistan’s rapid and effective military response. \u201cIn just a few hours, an adversary far larger in size was brought to its knees. Indian warplanes, including their Rafales, became symbols of defeat.\u201d<\/p>\n
Describing the operation as a fight against extremism and hate-based ideologies, he said the success was a collective achievement of Pakistan\u2019s valiant forces and its proud, resilient people.<\/p>\n
He extended heartfelt thanks to General Asim Munir for his strategic leadership, praised the precision of Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Babar\u2019s \u201cShaheens,\u201d and commended Admiral Naveed Ashraf for safeguarding Pakistan\u2019s maritime frontiers. He also acknowledged the historic unity displayed by the country\u2019s political leadership and Parliament.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, outlining the details of Friday\u2019s national observance, said the entire country would come together in prayer and celebration of what he termed a “historic military and moral victory.”<\/p>\n
He said the day would begin with gun salutes, followed by special Friday prayers across the country for the nation’s prosperity and for the martyrs of Marka-e-Haq. \u201cGuard-changing ceremonies will be held at the mausoleums of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Iqbal, and tributes will be paid at the graves of national heroes and fallen soldiers,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
The main event will take place in Islamabad, led by Prime Minister Sharif and attended by the military leadership and federal ministers.<\/p>\n
Minister Tarar urged citizens to hoist the national flag atop their homes and take part in the nationwide show of unity and gratitude. \u201cThis is a time to honour our heroes and reaffirm our resolve to stand united in the face of any threat,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The observance of Youm-e-Tashakur not only marks a military victory but also reinforces a message of national resilience and unity in the face of external aggression.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD, Thursday, May 15, 2025 : President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday reaffirmed Pakistan\u2019s unyielding commitment to safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity, stating that any aggression against the homeland would be responded to with full force. His remarks came in a message issued on the eve of Youm-e-Tashakur (Thanksgiving Day), being observed nationwide on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":83951,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[44,43],"class_list":["post-4882","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-national","tag-latest","tag-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4882","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4882"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4882\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/83951"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4882"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4882"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4882"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}