A grand ceremony marking the anniversary of Marka-e-Haq was held at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi on Sunday, where top military leadership reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to national defence and sovereignty. Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir attended the event as chief guest alongside senior officials, including Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu and Naveed Ashraf. The gathering highlighted inter-services unity and honoured the sacrifices of armed forces personnel who lost their lives protecting the country.
The ceremony began with the laying of floral wreaths at Yadgar-e-Shuhada, where the chiefs of the armed forces paid tribute to martyrs. Smartly dressed contingents from the army, navy and air force presented formal salutes during the event, while a Quranic verse was also recited from which the phrase “Bunyanum Marsoos” was derived for Pakistan’s retaliatory military operation. Moreover, the event reflected strong coordination among all branches of the armed forces during recent tensions.
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Addressing the gathering, Field Marshal Asim Munir described Marka-e-Haq as a defining battle between “two ideologies” rather than simply a conflict between two nations. He stated that Pakistan successfully defended its national dignity and sovereignty during confrontations from May 6 to May 10. Furthermore, he said the armed forces, together with the people of Pakistan, achieved a historic victory through unity, determination and professional military capability.
The army chief claimed India attempted to isolate Pakistan diplomatically and alter the regional balance of power through military aggression. However, he stressed that Pakistan would never allow such ambitions to succeed, adding that the country’s armed forces had never surrendered to pressure in the past and would not do so in the future. He also warned that any hostile action against Pakistan would receive a strong and painful response from the country’s defence forces.
Field Marshal Munir also paid tribute to innocent civilians, including women, elderly people and children, who were martyred during Marka-e-Haq. He called the sacrifices of martyrs a sacred trust for the nation and said Pakistan considered its strength a responsibility given by Almighty Allah. In addition, he praised the people of Pakistan for standing united behind the armed forces when tensions escalated and missiles targeted the country.
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Speaking about military operations, the army chief said Pakistan’s “Shaheens” carried out one of the most decisive aerial engagements of the modern era by targeting enemy installations and downing advanced warplanes. He further claimed Pakistan’s strategic missile and Shaheen systems successfully struck more than 26 enemy military targets. Concluding his address, he declared that Pakistan’s defence was fully prepared against any external aggression and warned adversaries against testing the country’s resolve again.