- The president says that “all Pakistanis became soldiers” when war was imposed.
- It states that Pakistan is now recognized globally as a force for peace and stability.
- He says Pakistan helped facilitate the US-Iran ceasefire through diplomacy.
President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday honored the nation and the armed forces on the first anniversary of Marka-e-Haq and praised the military leaders for providing what he described as a determined, calculated and disciplined response to external aggression.
In a statement issued by the presidency’s media wing, the president called Field Marshal Asim Munir’s leadership, strategy and “brave decisions” critical to the success of the operation. He also praised Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu and the Pakistan Air Force for their “exceptional skill and professional excellence”, while praising Admiral Naveed Ashraf and the naval forces for maintaining full operational readiness and strong defense capabilities.
President Zardari said the events of April and May last year were not simply a military episode but a moment of national reckoning. “When India, under the pretext of Pahalgam false flag operation, launched unprovoked attacks on our soil against civilian areas as well as military installations, Pakistan responded with discipline, precision, courage and unity,” he said.
The president said Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos, described as the decisive centerpiece of Marka-e-Haq, demonstrated the capabilities of Pakistan’s armed forces when backed by national unity. “Our response was calibrated, measured, precise and proportionate. Our message was unequivocal,” he said, adding that Marka-e-Haq showed the world that Pakistan’s deterrence is based on professional competence, tri-service coordination and the unwavering determination of its people. Paying tribute to the armed forces and martyrs, President Zardari said that all Pakistanis became soldiers when war was imposed on the country. “It is part of our DNA that when war is imposed on us, every Pakistani becomes a soldier, some in uniform and most without,” he said.
The President said Pakistan is now globally recognized as a State capable of not only defending itself but also contributing to peace and stability. Referring to recent tensions in West Asia, he said Pakistan had played a key diplomatic role in facilitating a ceasefire between the United States and Iran and encouraging both sides to enter into negotiations. “Our efforts helped prevent further bloodshed and contributed to stabilizing the broader regional environment,” he said, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to promoting peace, dialogue and stability.
On the Kashmir dispute, the president said no honest assessment of South Asia’s security challenges could ignore the issue, which he described as the root cause of regional instability.
President Zardari also criticized India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, calling it tantamount to “weaponizing water.” He noted that the treaty, brokered by the World Bank and signed in 1960, had survived wars and decades of hostility between two nuclear-armed neighbors. “It was designed to be out of reach of political crises,” he said, adding that India’s unilateral decision to put the deal on hold lacked legal basis and threatened the livelihoods of millions. “Water is not a bargaining chip,” the president said, reiterating that Pakistan would defend its water rights with the same determination it shows in defending its territory.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s stance on terrorism, President Zardari said that the country itself remained a victim of terrorism and was determined to eliminate “Fitna al-Khawarij” and “Fitna al-Hindustan” in all its forms.
