Pakistan cannot be intimidated by any aggressor, PM Shehbaz declares on Marka-i-Haq anniversary

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said Pakistan can neither be “intimidated nor subdued by any aggressor” as the nation marked the first anniversary of Marka-i-Haq, commemorating last year’s military confrontation with India.

The conflict, triggered by the April 22 Pahalgam attack and the ensuing hostilities between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, ended with a ceasefire on May 10. Pakistan officially refers to the episode as Marka-i-Haq (Battle of Truth).

In a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, the premier said the occasion symbolised Pakistan’s “valiant stand in adversity” and the “crushing defeat” inflicted upon India.

“Marka-i-Haq bears testimony that Pakistanis are a peace-loving, yet courageous, resilient, and dignified nation who can neither be intimidated nor subdued by any aggressor,” the statement quoted him as saying.

Prime Minister Shehbaz paid tribute to the martyrs, their families and the armed forces personnel who defended the country during the conflict.

“The nation pays tribute to its martyrs, their families and the ghazis who stood like a steel wall to defend their homeland,” he said.

The premier praised the coordinated response of Pakistan’s armed forces across land, sea, air and cyber domains, saying it established Pakistan as an “invincible nation” and demonstrated overwhelming dominance against what he described as unprovoked aggression.

He asserted that India had been given a “heavy dose of reality serum to dispel its illusion of invincibility”.

The prime minister warned that any future aggression aimed at undermining Pakistan’s sovereignty or territorial integrity would be met with an “immediate, befitting and full-spectrum response”, adding that the nation remained vigilant in safeguarding its borders.

He also paid tribute to Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Syed Asim Munir for his leadership during the conflict, as well as Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber and Naval Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf for what he termed their strategic foresight.

“We also salute officers and soldiers of the valiant Armed Forces, who, with unflinching support of the Pakistani nation, inscribed a new chapter in Pakistan-India context,” the statement said.

The premier maintained that Pakistan had consistently demonstrated its desire for peace while simultaneously re-establishing deterrence and protecting national security.

Referring to militancy, Prime Minister Shehbaz said the country remained steadfast in eliminating “Fitna al Khawarij” and “Fitna al Hindustan”, terms used by the state for banned militant groups operating in Pakistan and Balochistan.

On the issue of Kashmir, the premier reiterated Pakistan’s longstanding position that lasting peace and strategic stability in South Asia were impossible without resolving the dispute in line with United Nations resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

“Strategic stability in South Asia, without the resolution of Kashmir issue, would remain a distant dream,” he said, adding that Pakistan would continue supporting the right to self-determination of the people of Kashmir.

The prime minister further said that one year after Marka-i-Haq, Pakistan had emerged internationally as a responsible and capable state that “not only knows how to defend itself, but has also emerged as a guarantor of global peace and stability”.

Referring to recent diplomatic efforts surrounding the Iran-US conflict, he said Pakistan’s mediation role had earned international recognition and strengthened its image as a credible peace broker.

“Commemorating the sacrifices of our martyrs during Marka-i-Haq, let us pledge to face our adversaries like a ‘Steel Wall’ and work selflessly for the destined glory of this great homeland,” the statement concluded.