President Arif Alvi has said that Pakistan desires peace, security and development in the whole region and has also taken practical steps towards that end.
Addressing the military parade here at Parade Avenue on Thursday, the President said that peaceful coexistence is the cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy. He said the situation warrants that the leadership of South Asia rejects the politics of hate, prejudice and religious extremism to guide the region towards prosperity.
“In case of any misadventure, Pakistan is capable of thwarting it with full force,” the president said.
The March 23 Pakistan Day parade, which was rescheduled to March 25 due to inclement weather, was attended by civil and military leaders, parliamentarians and foreign dignitaries. Prime Minister Imran Khan could not attend the ceremony after he tested positive for coronavirus five days ago.
The smartly turned out contingents of the joint services including civil paramilitary forces, Pakistan Scouts, military bands among others marched with traditional zeal and fervour. A very powerful script with important messages by a team of commentators led by Colonel Malik Shafiq Awan of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) moved the audience.
The paratroopers of the armed forces of Bahrain, Turkey, Palestine, Iraq, Sri Lanka and Turkish military band Mehtar added more to the glory of the Pakistan Day Parade. The Turkish Military Band played the musical tune of national song Dil Dil Pakistan and bagged acclaim from the participants.
Addressing the parade, President Alvi said Pakistan believes in promoting cooperation in South Asia, which is already facing hindrances in development due to mutual conflicts and discords. “The goal of national and regional development can only be achieved in the environment of peace and by refraining from all kinds of aggression and exploitation,” he stressed.
The president felicitated the nation on Pakistan Day, saying the occasion was a reminder to renew the pledges of religious, cultural and fundamental freedoms. He said the comprehensive Pakistan Resolution of 1940 set a guiding principle for the Muslims of the Sub-continent to achieve the goal of a separate homeland under the untiring struggle of Quaid-e-Azam and the vision of Allama Iqbal. The nation’s journey commencing in 1947 in difficult situations was moving ahead with remarkable success in the fields of education, economy, politics and defence, he added.
Dr Alvi lauded the armed forces for their valour and bravery in defending the frontiers of the country and rendering immense sacrifices for the safety of the nation. They remained ever-ready in dealing with the challenges, might it be terrorism, natural calamities or disasters. “From barren deserts to the high-altitude Siachen and the vast skies to the depth of oceans, our armed forces are acting as a strong defence line,” he said.
He mentioned the complete eradication of terrorist networks by the armed forces through Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad that restored normalcy across the country.
President Alvi said Pakistan significantly overcame the challenge of coronavirus pandemic due to the nation’s discipline, which was also acknowledged worldwide. He appealed to the nation to continue observing precautions to contain the spread of the virus.
He said in the ever-changing world, Pakistan must set goals to move ahead as a strong nation keeping in view the golden principles of Islamic culture and national ideology. “With unity, we have to pursue the objective of becoming a true welfare state caring for its people,” he said.
On the human rights crisis in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the president expressed concern over the situation and invited the attention of the international community towards the plight of the Kashmiri people. He vowed that Pakistan would continue to stand with the Kashmiris in their struggle for the right to self-determination in accordance with the United Nations Charter and its Security Council resolutions. “The peace in South Asia is linked with the resolution of the issue of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said, quoting the great Quaid’s statement that Kashmir was Pakistan’s jugular vein. He also appealed to friendly countries to take notice of the situation in the IIOJK, owing urgency in view of the human rights deterioration in the valley.
President Alvi said Pakistan enjoys very close and friendly relations with China and intends to further strengthen the ties in fields of defence, economy and diplomacy.
On the situation in Afghanistan, he said Pakistan would continue to play its role in the restoration of sustainable peace in the neighbouring country.
As regards relations with Central Asia, he said, Pakistan was desirous of strengthening historic, cultural and friendly relations for prosperity and development.
President Alvi emphasized maintaining unity among the Muslim countries by setting aside their differences to strongly counter Islamophobia. He termed the role of Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) significant in that regard.
To mark Pakistan Day in its true spirit, he said, it was important to keep the national interests supreme and ensure the sanctity of law. “We need to shun our differences and get united as a single nation to work towards the betterment of our country,” he said.
President Alvi said gaining capabilities in the scientifically advanced field such as artificial intelligence would help the young generation meet the challenges of the contemporary world. He expressed satisfaction that the scientists in Pakistan were rendering their services efficiently and making the country self-reliant in defence production.
He urged the nation to remain steadfast as a ‘One Nation, One Destiny’ to make Pakistan prosperous, reliving the spirit and passion of the Pakistan Movement seven decades ago that led to the creation of homeland.
