Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Jawed Bajwa vowed to end terrorism from the country in a patriotic video released ahead of Pakistan Day.

The military’s media wing Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Wednesday released a video a day before the 77th Pakistan Day. In the video, Gen Bajwa promised to cleanse the country of ‘fasaadis’[terrorists].

The video begins with a patriotic song by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, followed by Gen Bajwa saying, “March 23, 1940, we pledged to make Pakistan, and we were successful. Let’s make a pledge today that we will cleanse Pakistan of terrorism, because, this is our Pakistan.”

DG ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor stated that Chinese Army troops will arrive in Islamabad to participate in Pakistan Day celebrations. A Turkish military band will also participate in the parade.

The parade is organised by joint staff headquarters in Rawalpindi, which oversees the three armed forces of Pakistan.

Pakistan in 2015, held its first Pakistan Day parade after a hiatus of seven years. The display of pageantry aimed at showing the country has the upper hand in the fight against terrorists as the nation reeled from the worst militant attack in its history as 142 children were killed in an army-run school in Peshawar.

The annual Pakistan Day parade was last held in 2008 before authorities abandoned it because of fears it could be targeted as militants increased their attacks on the military.

Pakistan Day commemorates the passing of the Lahore Resolution, when a separate nation for the Muslims of The British Indian Empire was demanded on March 23, 1940.