Says Pakistan’s defence is now ‘completely impregnable’ against external aggression
Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir speaking at A grand ceremony to commemorate the completion of one year of Pakistan’s landmark victory in Marka-e-Haq was held at GHQ, Rawalpindi. SCREENGRAB
ISLAMABAD:
Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir on Sunday said Pakistan, its people, and armed forces had achieved “an unprecedented success by the grace of Allah,” describing Marka-e-Haq as a decisive battle between two ideologies in which “truth prevailed and falsehood was defeated”.
The term “Marka-e-Haq” refers to the 2025 conflict with India, which began with the April 22 Pahalgam attack and concluded with a ceasefire on May 10 following Operation Bunyanum Marsoos.
A grand ceremony marking the completion of one year of Pakistan’s victory in Marka-e-Haq was held at GHQ, Rawalpindi, state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported.
At the outset, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf laid a floral wreath at the Yadgar-e-Shuhada.
CDF Munir also laid a floral wreath at the Yadgar-e-Shuhada and offered fateha for the departed souls of martyrs.
Addressing the ceremony as the chief guest, CDF Munir said Pakistan, its people, and armed forces had achieved an unprecedented success by the grace of Allah. “Marka-e-Haq was a decisive battle between two ideologies in which truth prevailed, and falsehood faced defeat,” he said.
He added that Pakistan would never allow any attempt to destabilise the regional balance of power. The field marshal said that India dreams of targeting Pakistan through military aggression and diplomatic isolation, “This dream is far beyond its capability and Pakistan will never allow it to succeed,” he said.
He paid tribute to all the martyrs and veterans of Marka-e-Haq, particularly the innocent women, elderly people, and children who were martyred, on behalf of the nation and the Pakistan Armed Forces. He said that the sacrifices of martyrs are a trust, our strength is a responsibility, and our success is a blessing from Almighty Allah.
He added that the message from the people and national leadership is that no compromise will be made on national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national dignity.
CDF Munir said that the alleged false flag operations of 2001, 2008, 2016 and 2019 reflected what he described as India’s repeated but unsuccessful attempts to impose an illegitimate conflict on Pakistan.
He added that such efforts were aimed at pursuing narrow political and military objectives through accusations, exaggeration, warmongering, and what he termed a misleading narrative of limited aggression.
CDF Munir said that India suffered severe human and material losses as a result of this war, the cost of which it will continue to pay for a long time to come. He said that the “Fatah missiles” and the “Shaheens” of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) successfully targeted more than 26 enemy military objectives. He added, “Alhamdulillah, Pakistan’s defence today is completely impregnable against any external aggression.”
The field marshal warned that “any future adventurism against Pakistan would not have limited consequences but would be extremely dangerous, far-reaching and painful”.
He further stated that the Defence Forces Headquarters has been established to align Pakistan’s armed forces with modern requirements.
CDF Munir also noted that modern warfare would be multi-domain in nature, involving long-range weapons, drones, cyber capabilities, and artificial intelligence.
He noted that Pakistan’s leadership and representatives effectively conveyed the country’s position on the global stage, achieving significant gains on the diplomatic front. He also praised the media, journalists, and particularly the youth for countering the enemy’s propaganda, cyberwarfare, and psychological operations in a manner he described as unparalleled.
He described the strategic mutual defence agreement between Pakistan and its brotherly Islamic country, Saudi Arabia, as a major milestone in Pakistan’s diplomatic achievements. He said that today, Pakistan, through effective, responsible, and non-aligned diplomacy, is hosting historic peace negotiations known as the “Islamabad Talks”. He added that, considering conventional war with Pakistan impossible, India is once again resorting to a malicious path of terrorism.
He urged Afghanistan to eliminate terrorist centres and sanctuaries from its soil. He paid tribute to the brave people of Pakistan, particularly in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, and to the courageous personnel of the armed forces and law enforcement agencies. He said Pakistan would avenge every drop of innocent Pakistani blood, and the fight against terrorism would continue until the elimination of the last terrorist. He reaffirmed continued political, diplomatic, and moral support for the Kashmiri people.
He said that Pakistan’s destination is the one envisioned by its forefathers. He added that the green crescent flag of Pakistan is a symbol of hope, and its armed forces are organised and always ready. He said the Pakistani nation is the country’s strength, and the armed forces are the strength of the nation. He stated that Pakistan’s future is, God willing, bright and prosperous. He said that when truth and falsehood confront each other, victory always belongs to truth. Pakistan was invincible yesterday, is invincible today, and will remain invincible in the future, he concluded.
Pahalgam attack and Marka-e-Haq
On April 22, 2025, escalation between Pakistan and India began when an attack in Pahalgam killed 26 people. India immediately blamed Pakistan for the incident. However, Pakistan categorically rejected the Indian blame.
In response, India undertook a series of hostile actions the next day, on April 23, 2025, including suspending the 65-year-old Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), cancelling visas for Pakistani citizens, closing the Wagah-Attari border crossing, ordering the shutdown of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, and reducing diplomatic staff at each other’s embassies.
Tensions further escalated in the early hours of May 7, 2025, when missile strikes hit six cities in Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), destroying a mosque and killing dozens of civilians, including women, children, and the elderly.
In a swift military response, Pakistan’s armed forces shot down Indian warplanes, including three Rafale jets. The confrontation intensified again in the early hours of May 10, 2025, when India targeted several Pakistani airbases with missile strikes. In retaliation, Pakistan launched Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, damaging Indian military installations, including missile storage sites, airbases, and other strategic targets.
On May 10, 2025, US President Donald Trump announced that a ceasefire had been reached following intense overnight diplomatic efforts. Minutes later, the agreement was confirmed separately by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and the Indian foreign secretary.
