Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, said India misjudged Islamabad’s desire for peace as weakness during a ceremony held at Pakistan’s embassy in Washington on Saturday to mark the one-year anniversary of the historic Marka-e-Haq victory.
Addressing the ceremony, Sheikh said that during the Marka-e-Haq, Pakistani forces, civil and military leadership and the entire nation demonstrated the greatness of Pakistan’s geographical and territorial importance, integrity and national pride.
He said Pakistani armed forces, civil and military leaders and the entire nation had shown greatness in safeguarding the geographical and regional importance, sovereignty and national dignity of the country during “Marka-e-Haq”.
The ambassador said Pakistan was located in one of the most geographically important and sensitive regions of the world, adding that Quaid-e-Azam’s clairvoyant vision had predicted that Pakistan would become a pivotal global state, a prediction he said was becoming increasingly true.
Sheikh said Pakistan was created to protect the honor and dignity of the Muslims of the subcontinent and the nation would not allow any compromise on their dignity and honor.
He said today’s treatment of Muslims in India reinforced the foresight and correctness of the decision to establish Pakistan.
The ambassador said that the Pakistani nation had fought for its survival with resilience and courage since the country was born, adding that history had shown that global security was linked with the security of Pakistan.
He said Pakistan had played a positive and effective role over the last eight decades on political, diplomatic and other international fronts.
Referring to efforts towards peace in the context of US-Iran tensions, he said Pakistan’s role reflected its positive and recognized diplomatic traditions and history.
The ambassador said Pakistan had always played a key role in global and regional peace, adding that India had paid a heavy price for mistaking Pakistan’s desire for peace as weakness.
He also thanked US President Donald Trump for playing a positive role in efforts to achieve a ceasefire between the two nuclear powers.
Sheikh said the 88-hour events had rekindled the spirit of Pakistani identity among overseas Pakistanis across the world.
He stressed that putting aside differences and demonstrating unity for the security, reconstruction and development of the country was a national responsibility.
The ambassador stated that the philosophy of “Bunyanum Marsoos” is linked to economic development.
