SIALKOT: Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Saturday described Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos as a defining moment in Pakistan’s military history, crediting it with reviving national unity and confidence in the face of Indian aggression.
Speaking to a group of students and teachers at his residence, Asif said India had been left “licking its wounds” after Pakistan’s military response. He warned that any adversaries on the western front would face a similar outcome if they challenged Pakistan’s sovereignty.
Asif refrained from responding directly to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that internal criticism in India had said more than Pakistan ever could. He said the operation came at a time of visible division within Pakistan, but had helped restore national cohesion through the bravery of the armed forces.
The minister commended the leadership of Army Chief General Asim Munir, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar, Naval Chief Naveed Ashraf, and Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad. He described their approach as emotionally charged and spiritually driven.
He also praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for fully backing the military throughout the crisis. Asif said the unity between the civilian government and armed forces had sent a powerful message of national resolve, declaring that Pakistan would go to any length to defend its homeland.
Concluding his remarks, Asif stressed the importance of historical memory, warning that nations which forget their past risk being forgotten themselves.
