Online Desk: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has extended an offer to India for a comprehensive dialogue to resolve all outstanding disputes, including the Kashmir dispute, stressing that that wars between the two neighbouring countries have brought nothing but suffering and misery to their people.
According to Kashmir Media Service, PM Shehbaz addressing a ceremony in Islamabad said, “After settling disputes like Kashmir and water distribution, we can talk on trade and counter-terrorism as Pakistan is the worst affected country by terrorism which lost 90,000 lives and over $150 billion economic losses.”
The ceremony, marking the Youm-i-Tashakur (Thanks­giving Day), was held at Pakistan Monument and attended by PM Shehbaz, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC) Gen Sahir Mirza, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Syed Asif Munir, Air Chief Marshal Air Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar, Naval Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf, federal cabinet members, diplomats, the families of martyrs, sports personalities and showbiz celebrities, as the nation celebrated Pakistan’s victory in the recent clash with India. At the special ceremony, the Shaheens of the Pakistan Air Force presented a spectacular flypast, followed by the performance of national and patriotic songs.
Addressing the ceremony, PM Shehbaz said, “We have won the war but we want peace. We have taught our enemy a lesson but we condemn aggression. We want this part of the world to be as prosperous and progressive as others through hard work, undying efforts and living like peaceful neighbours.”
He said a war between the two nuclear powers (Pakistan, India) could endanger the lives of over 1.6 billion people living in the Subcontinent. “If there would be nuclear tussles who will live to tell what happened,” he said.
“Action of our Air Force with indigenous technology and Chinese planes and gadgets gave such a blow to India that the whole world was stunned how Pakistan achieved such technology silently. Our action demoralised enemies and boosted the confidence of our friends,” he added.
Celebrating the victory, Youm-i-Tashakur (Thanksgiving Day) began with a 31-gun salute after Fajr in the federal capital and a 21-gun salute in the provincial capitals, followed by hoisting of the national flag at PM House, holding of rallies and ceremonies in all major cities.
On the occasion, the PM in his message highlighted that India while acting cowardly attacked Pakistan on the night between May 6 and May 7, resulting in the martyrdom of innocent citizens.
“We were forced to respond for the sake of these innocent citizens,” he said, adding that the world saw that within a few hours an enemy that was many times bigger came to its knees and the planes that India boasted of turned into ashes and became sign of a bitter lesson of history.
“Our Shaheens hammered the enemy and gave it a befitting reply,” he said. The brave and professional armed forces of Pakistan effectively and fully responded in the language of the enemy and wrote a golden chapter in the military history and foiled the designs of the enemy.