Pakistan’s leadership says country’s role in regional security is growing
In Pakistan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari said the country’s role in regional security is growing during celebrations marking the 61st Defence and Martyrs’ Day. As Dawn reports, a 31-gun salute was fired in Islamabad on September 6, while 21-gun salutes were held in provincial capitals. A changing-of-the-guard ceremony took place near the Quaid’s mausoleum in Karachi.
The date is observed annually in Pakistan in remembrance of the 1965 war with India. In his address, Sharif paid tribute to fallen servicemen, veterans, and their families. He also said that the country’s defence capability must be combined with economic development, political stability, and public welfare.
Statements on regional security
Shehbaz Sharif called Pakistan a “security stabilizer” and said that the country contributes to collective security beyond its borders. He mentioned the Mecca Defence Alliance as an indication of Pakistan’s growing role in regional security and said Islamabad intends to continue supporting cooperation and dialogue to resolve regional problems.
President Zardari also said that Pakistan seeks peace, dialogue, and mutual respect in the region and the world. According to him, the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement reflects the country’s commitment to regional security. At the same time, he stressed that Pakistan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national security cannot be subject to compromise.
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Kashmir and statements regarding India
Both politicians said that lasting peace in South Asia is impossible without resolving the Kashmir issue in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the people of Kashmir. Zardari also called on India, in his words, to stop supporting terrorism in Pakistan through proxies.
Pakistani authorities use the term Fitna-al-Khawarij for the banned organization Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. The authorities call groups operating in Balochistan Fitna-al-Hindustan, alleging India’s role in terrorism and destabilization of the country. Sharif and Zardari also mentioned Operation Bunyanum Marsoos and last year’s four-day military confrontation with India, which the Pakistani side calls Marka-i-Haq.
Pakistan’s military command said that the armed forces are ready to defend the country’s sovereignty and national interests. It added that Pakistan seeks peace, stability, and prosperity in the region, but any aggression against the country will receive a “swift and decisive response.”
