RAWALPINDI: Chief of the Army Staff General Raheel Sharif on Tuesday made it clear to enemies of the country that Pakistan has become invincible, as the nation marked Defence Day to pay tribute to martyrs of 1965 war.
"Pakistan was strong before and now it’s invincible," said General Raheel under whose command the army backed by the Pakistan Air Force dealt a final blow to terrorists and extremists in North Waziristan.
He was speaking at an impressive ceremony, held here at the Army General Headquarters (GHQ) in connection with the 50th Defence Day celebrations Tuesday night. The ceremony was attended by services chiefs, cabinet members, bureaucrats, military officers and others.
"We want peaceful relations with our neighbors. We can differentiate between friends and foes. We do know how to fulfill responsibilities as a friend, and how to deal with enemies," he said.
“Kashmir is our jugular vein,” said Gen Sharif and added that Islamabad would continue diplomatic and moral support of the Kashmiris.
The army chief said that every move against the CPEC plan would be strictly dealt with, adding that the project would bring prosperity to the entire region.
The COAS said that due to the martyrs’ sacrifices we are able to live in a free and dignified country.
Applauding the role of the Pakistan Air Force, General Sharif said that the success of Zarb-i-Azb was due to the strong coordination among the armed forces.
He said that under Zarb-i-Azb, above 19,000 operations were successfully conducted, adding that police and levies have rendered innumerable sacrifices for the country.
He said that North Waziristan was a sanctuary of terrorists, but Pakistan successfully countered challenges due to terrorism.
"For the rest of the world, Zarb-i-Azb can be an army operation, although for us it is a war for our survival", he said.
The army chief said that Operation Zarb-i-Azb was for the indiscriminate purging of terrorists, adding that the external and internal threats to peace have not been eliminated completely.
