Pak nation celebrates 46th Defence Day of Pakistan

The Pakistani nation across the country is celebrating its 46th Defense Day in memory of martyrs who sacrificed their lives to protect the country.

A smartly turned contingent of cadets of PAF Academy Risalpur on Tuesday took guard's duties at the mausoleum of founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, to commemorate Defence Day of Pakistan.Air Officer Commanding PAF Academy Risalpur, Air Vice Marshal Hassan Raza, who was the chief guest, inspected guard of honour.He also laid floral wreath, offered fateha and recorded his impressions in the visitors' book.
Besides hoisting national flag, a total 91 male and seven female cadets of PAF Academy Risalpur, replaced the guards of Pakistan Navy at Mazar-e-Quaid.
Civil and military bureaucrats, large number of students from different colleges and schools and people from a across sections of the society witnessed the impressive change of guards ceremony.
Defence Day of Pakistan is marked every year on September 6 to pay tribute to the martyred soldiers and Ghazis who successfully defended the homeland in the 1965 Indo-Pak war.
Meanwhile, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, in his message, has urged people to reiterate the resolve to demonstrate spirit of September 1965 in meeting new challenges to the country.
In a message on the occasion of Defence Day falling on September 6, the President said that the significance of the day lies in the fact that on this day in 1965 the people of Pakistan from all provinces and all walks of life joined hands in solidly standing behind the armed forces to face a serious threat to the country. The unprecedented national unity demonstrated on this day has made it a memorable day in the national calendar, he said adding that the day is a reminder how the people and the armed forces together can conquer aggression and overcome any challenge to the country.
He said, "On this day we salute the people for their unprecedented unity, the armed forces for their valour and courage to defend the country and pay homage to the martyrs who laid down their lives in defending the country."
The need to imbibe the spirit of September 6 this year is even greater as the country is confronted with a new and far more serious challenge to its existence from the militants, extremists and fanatics, he added.He said September 6 should be commemorated this year by paying homage to the great sons and daughters of the nation who laid down their lives in defence of the motherland.
"Our people and armed forces have offered unprecedented sacrifices in the war against militancy."He said no other nation has paid such a heavy price as the people of Pakistan has in fighting the militants and to safeguard their right to live in accordance with the democratic values for which Pakistan was created."On this occasion, I wish to reiterate that the sacrifices of our people will not go in vain," he remarked.
He paid homage to all the martyrs who shed their blood while defending the country. "They had laid down their lives so that we live in safety and with honour. We will never allow their sacrifices to go waste." President Zardari added.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister (PM) Yousaf Raza Gilani, in his message on Defense Day said the celebration was a reflection that Pakistan was a peace-loving country.
Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, in his message said that Pakistan's defence is impregnable and the armed forces and the people of Pakistan are fully prepared to safeguard country's national frontiers. The Prime Minister said that Pakistan was a peace-loving country and did not harbour any aggressive and expansionist designs against anyone. "But our love for peace should not be construed as our weakness," Gilani said and warned "we can pay the enemy in the same coin if anyone dares any misadventure." "No one should dare cast an evil eye on Pakistan," Gilani said.
Prime Minister Gilani said that Pakistan had the distinct honour of being the world's seventh nuclear power and the first one to attain this capability in the Islamic world."Our nuclear programme is safe in every respect.
Pakistan's defence is impregnable, our armed forces and the people of Pakistan are fully prepared to defend the national frontiers."He said that Pakistan was playing a decisive role in the fight against terrorism to make world a hub of peace and noted that the world acknowledges its role in this regard.
The Prime Minister reiterated his resolve to continue to make efforts for the establishment of peace and make sure that scourge of terrorism was eliminated. He recalled that the Defence Day was a reflection of national determination that Pakistan was a peace-loving country. He said 46 years ago on this very day, the people of Pakistan stood up for the defence of country's territorial frontiers and national sovereignty. "The enemy's erroneous assumption to establish its foothold on our motherland foiled because of our valiant sons of the soil."
"The way our armed forces discharged their duty of defending the frontiers of the motherland by sheer bravery has gone into the annals of military history," he said. He said the entire nation forged unity in its ranks and stood shoulder to shoulder along its armed forces in this hour of trial.
Gilani said that Pakistanis stood as one as a wall of lead, and said the memory of those days still warmed hearts and ignited passion of patriotism even today.The Prime Minister said while celebrating the heroic sacrifices of martyrs and ghazis of September war "let us vow to shed our blood to the last drop in defence of our motherland and keep the national flag flying high."
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