Rawalpindi : A Thanksgiving Day was celebrated across the country today (Friday) for the historic victory in Operation Banyan Marsus, a counter-offensive against Indian aggression.
Tributes were paid to the Pakistani people and the Pakistani Armed Forces on the occasion of Thanksgiving Day. The day began with Quran recitation and special prayers in mosques, while a 31-gun salute was given in the federal capital and 21-gun salute in the provincial capitals. A change of guard ceremony was held at the Quaid-e-Azam and Iqbal mausoleums, while flag hoisting ceremonies were also held in the federal and provincial capitals.
Flowers were placed at the martyrs’ memorials across the country and prayer ceremonies were also organized. Special meetings were also held with the families to pay tribute to the martyrs of Operation Bunyan Marsus and special prayers were also offered during Friday prayers for the security and prosperity of Pakistan. A special ceremony of gratitude was held at the Pakistan Monument in the federal capital for the glorious victory in the Battle of Haq and Operation Bunyan Marsus.
The ceremony began with the recitation of the Holy Quran, after which prayers were offered for the elevation of the ranks of the martyrs of the country, the progress, security and stability of the beloved homeland. In the special ceremony, the falcons of the Pakistan Air Force performed a magnificent flypast, after which anthems and national songs were presented.
Addressing the special ceremony of gratitude for the glorious victory in the Battle of Haq and Operation Bunyan Marsus in the federal capital, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that after the victory in the war, Allah Almighty has given Pakistan that position today. Now no great power can stop our path. We have dealt the enemy such a slap that he will not be able to forget. We won the war but we want peace so that this region can also develop and prosper like the rest of the world. May Allah Almighty grant Pakistan the position it has attained today after the victory in the war, now no great power can stop our path. The Prime Minister said that I salute the dear homeland and the great parents, families, federal ministers, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff General Shamshad Sahir Mirza, Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir, Naval Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf,
Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar, general officers, government officers and esteemed diplomats. He said that today, our most respected journalists, sisters and brothers are present in this gathering, Pakistan’s famous artists are present and Pakistan’s most respected Ghazis are also present here. Prime Minister Shahbaz said that today is a day of gratitude, this day is met by some in the history of the world and is met after centuries, Allah Almighty is the grace and mercy that a heartbreaking incident took place about 50 years ago today. The Prime Minister said that the enemy has rejected our sincere offer in which we had said that we would form an international investigation committee which would tell the world the facts after a complete investigation, but the enemy, in a very tyrannical manner, drunk with pride, attacked Pakistan and martyred innocent Pakistanis, including a six-year-old child who was martyred, mothers, sisters, elders and youth were martyred, and the enemy gave the message that we can go inside Pakistan and attack. He further said that we shot down six enemy planes, which considered itself a policeman in South Asia, and believed that Pakistan had no status in front of it, the same Pakistani falcons swooped down and shot down their Rafales, MiGs and Rafales, and showed it such a nightmare that it will not be able to wake up from this dream until the Day of Judgment.
The Prime Minister said that after this, General Asim Munir told me that we will give the enemy such a slap in the face that he will remember for the rest of his life, and then you saw how our Shaheens and Al-Fath missiles attacked Pathankot, Udhampur and other places and the enemy was not finding a place to hide his head. He said that General Asim Munir called me again and said that we have given a befitting reply to the enemy and now we are being requested to cease fire, I said that what can be a greater honor than that you have forced the enemy to cease fire, I said that you should accept the offer of cease fire.
Shahbaz Sharif said that the way our Air Chief and his Shaheens used the technology developed in the country with Chinese aircraft, the world’s senses were blown away and the confidence of friends started talking to the sky, from America to Japan and everywhere today there is talk about how Pakistan’s forces quietly acquired this capability.
The Prime Minister said that India was convincing the world day and night that its economy was worth trillions of dollars, and had spent billions of dollars on weapons and that it should be recognized as the king of the region, but Allah Almighty had something else in mind, and Allah Almighty gave this great victory to Pakistan for which we are celebrating Thanksgiving Day today in such a way that the heads of the entire nation are bowed before the Almighty. He said that Allah Almighty has given Pakistan that position today, now no big power can stop our path, today the entire nation is united and stands with the armed forces, I believe that today is the time to begin the journey for which Pakistan came into existence.
He said that now we have to move forward, and if we make national unity the capital of life, not only will the losses of the past be redressed, but very soon Pakistan will gain its rightful place in the world of nations.He said that now we have to realize the objective of May 10 in the economic field, the nation is ready, we have to work day and night, Allah Almighty has blessed Pakistan with endless resources and brilliant minds, there is no shortage of anything, if we become determined, Pakistan will soon come ahead in the world race, God willing. The Prime Minister said that I would like to thank all the ambassadors who stood by Pakistan’s position in response to India’s baseless propaganda against Pakistan on the Pahalgam incident, and I would also like to thank all the friendly countries who played a role in promoting peace in this region in the form of a ceasefire. He said that I am grateful to President Donald Trump for his courageous leadership and his vision for establishing peace in South Asia, as a result of his efforts, the threat of a horrific war in this region of the world was averted. God forbid, if the war had escalated and reached nuclear weapons, imagine who out of 1.6 billion people would have survived to tell what had happened. The Prime Minister said that by the grace and mercy of Allah Almighty, we won the war but we want peace, we have taught our enemy a lesson but we condemn aggression, we want this region to follow the path of development and prosperity of the rest of the world. He said that whether we like it or not, we are neighbors and we have always had to remain each other’s neighbors, now it is up to us whether we remain peaceful neighbors or continue to fight,
Pakistan has always talked about peace, because there have been three wars between us but no problem has been resolved, rather due to wars, poverty and unemployment have increased and other problems have increased. He said that the lesson learned from wars is that we should sit at the negotiating table like peaceful neighbors and resolve all issues including Jammu and Kashmir, because if we want permanent peace, then the issues have to be resolved permanently. If the issues of Jammu and Kashmir and water distribution are resolved, then we can talk about trade and can also cooperate in the field of counter-terrorism. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that Pakistan is the biggest victim of terrorism, which has sacrificed 90,000 lives, in which we have also had to bear an economic loss of 150 billion dollars, which nation has suffered so much in terms of life and financial loss in the war against terrorism. He said that we are not only fighting terrorism for peace in our country but are also fighting terrorism for peace in the world. If our armies and security forces were not fighting terrorists, they would have spread to different regions of the world, so the world should recognize Pakistan’s sacrifices and losses. Earlier, the special ceremony of Thanksgiving Day for the glorious victory in the Battle of Haq and Operation Bunyan Marsus began with the recitation of the Holy Quran, after which prayers were offered for the elevation of the ranks of the martyrs of the homeland, the progress, safety and stability of the beloved homeland. In the special ceremony, the Pakistan Air Force Falcons performed a magnificent flypast, after which national anthems and national songs were presented. The Prime Minister was the chief guest of the ceremony, while federal ministers, cabinet members, Chairman JCSC, service chiefs, diplomats from different countries, civil and military officials also attended the ceremony. It may be recalled that on the occasion of Thanksgiving Day, Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq congratulated the nation on the historic victory, thanked Allah Almighty and paid tribute to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the protection of the motherland. He said that the Pakistani nation, especially our armed forces, bravely confronted the open aggression of the enemy and crushed the nefarious intentions of the enemy. He said that a new wave of freshness, unity and happiness can be felt in Pakistan after May 10. Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said that after this battle of right and wrong, Pakistan has gained a unique place in the world. On this occasion, he appreciated the patriotic spirit of the parliament, the people, the media and the young generation and said that the entire nation stood by the armed forces like a leaden wall. The Speaker of the National Assembly further said that every Pakistani is ready to sacrifice his life for the defense of the homeland. Our brave forces gave a befitting reply to the enemy, and their courage proved that determination and passion can defeat the enemy.
He said that the political and military leadership demonstrated solidarity in practice, and all political parties, rising above their differences, appeared united and united with the Pakistani forces in the defense of the country. On this occasion,
Sardar Ayaz Sadiq termed the great sacrifices of the martyrs as an unforgettable asset of the nation and said that their sacrifices will always be remembered. He also expressed his best wishes for the Pakistani armed forces. The Speaker of the National Assembly said that the Pakistani media and the young generation, by playing an exemplary role in the fight for justice, have sent a message to the enemy that this nation will never compromise on the honor, dignity and security of its homeland.
