Daily Times

The Pakistani embassy Friday organized an event to mark Pakistan’s Defence Day commemorating not only the martyrs of the 1965 war but to all those soldiers who valiantly defended the country.

The event was attended by a large number of diplomats, Defence, Military and Services Attaches, US officials and members of Pakistani community.

“Pakistan’s Armed Forces — the Army, the Air Force and the Navy — have always responded promptly to any foreign threat or a domestic challenge,” Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh told participants at the event. “In meeting these challenges, our brave and valiant soldiers have always lived up to the expectations of the nation.” He added, “Even today, our Armed Forces and the Pakistani nation are paying a disproportionate and exorbitant price in blood and treasure to combat terrorism. More than 80,000 people including 10,000 security personnel have lost their previous lives in this war,

“Our troops continue to bear the brunt of a new tide of terrorism which has killed hundreds since August 2021.

“We are determined to quell this threat.”

Ambassador Sheikh expressed the hope that international community would recognize their sacrifices and show solidarity with the people and armed forces of Pakistan.

He highlighted Pakistan’s longstanding commitment to international peace and security through its participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations in hotspots around the world, pointing out that since 1960, over 235,000 Pakistani peacekeepers have served in 48 missions, with 181 making the ultimate sacrifice. Referring to Pak-US defence ties, the Ambassador said that defence cooperation with the United States was a key pillar of it enduring partnership with Washington. The two countries, he said, continue to strengthen their military-to-military relationship with a particular focus on counter-terrorism, security cooperation, disaster relief, humanitarian assistance and military training.

“Both sides are committed to nurturing this partnership further and further,” he said.

“We will remain invested in our defence partnership with the United States as it remains a critical factor for peace and stability of our region,” he emphasized.

In closing, the Ambassador expressed solidarity with the people of Indian Occupied Kashmir, calling on the international community to support their legitimate right to self-determination and raise their voices against the ongoing repression.

Earlier, Pakistan’s Defence Attache Brig Irfan Ali paid glowing tributes to all brave men and women of the Armed Forces, paramilitary and law enforcement agencies who laid down their lives and suffered grievous bodily harm or mental psychological traumas in defending their homeland. “We have perpetually encountered conflicts, insurgencies, internal security threats and natural disasters. We still continue to counter-terrorism, campaigns against a complex of terrorist organizations emboldened by recent events in the neighbourhoods, but make no mistake that we will prevail and root out this threat with the whole of nation approach,” Brig Ali said.

The event concluded with a tribute to the personnel of Pakistan’s Armed Forces, particularly those who sacrificed their lives for the freedom, liberty, and prosperity of the nation.