Our desire for peace not be misconstrued as weakness, says Alvi

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has said that Pakistan was desirous of peace for common prosperity in the region but at the same time he maintained in case of any misadventure, the country was capable of thwarting it with full force but its intention must not be misconstrued as weakness.

“Our good intentions should not be misconstrued as weakness. In case of any misadventure, Pakistan is capable of thwarting it with full force,” the president said while addressing the Pakistan Day Joint Services Parade at the Parade Avenue on Thursday. Prime Minister Imran Khan could not attend the ceremony after he tested positive for coronavirus five days back. 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. Alvi said Pakistan believed in promoting cooperation in South Asia, which was already facing hindrance 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. He vowed that Pakistan would continue to stand with the Kashmiris in their struggle for the right to self-determination in accordance with the UN 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 while quoting the great Quaid’s statement that Kashmir was Pakistan’s jugular vein. He also appealed to friendly countries to take notice of the deteriorating human rights situation in the IIOJ&K. The president said Pakistan enjoyed very close and friendly relations with China and intended to strengthen the ties in fields of defence, economy and diplomacy. On the situation in Afghanistan, the president said Pakistan would continue to play its role in restoration of sustainable peace in the neighbouring country.

He emphasised unity among the Muslim countries to strongly counter Islamophobia. 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.

Meanwhile, the armed forces displayed their professionalism, military prowess and capability of deterrence against threats to the country’s security at the spectacular Pakistan Day Joint Services Parade held at the Parade Avenue.

The impressive ceremony started with the flypast of PAF jets and aircraft of Pakistan Navy led by Air Chief Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu presenting salute to the chief guest President Arif Alvi. After leading the flypast, the CAS joined the president and the services chiefs on the dais.

Earlier on arrival at the venue, President Arif Alvi was heralded by bugles and received by Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Nadeem Raza, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi and Vice Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Syed Noman Ali. Later, the President along with the Parade Commander, Brig. Azhar Yaseen, reviewed the parade

The formations of fighter jets including F-16s, JF-17s, Mirages, AWACs. C-130s, P-3C Orions and helicopters participated in the flypast. The contingents of Pakistan Army, Navy, Pakistan Air Force, SSG, Frontier Corps, Rangers, and Islamabad police, Frontier Constabulary, Airport Security Force and Boys Scouts and lady officers of all the services marched past the dais presenting salute. Mechanised columns including tanks, armored personnel carriers, rocket launchers, air defense system, radars, indigenously built UAVs and a series of short, medium and long range missiles Ra’ad, Nasr, Babr, Ghaznavi and Shaheen were also showcased on the occasion.

The highlight of the event included a range of dazzling maneuvers, enthralling solo performances by JF-17 Thunder and a fighter jet of ‘SOLOTURK’ aerobatic team of the Turkish Air Force. A team of Karakorum-8P, the renowned PAF’s Sherdil squadron presented breathtaking aerobatics, spreading range of colours in the skies. The soft image of Pakistan on various floats was also visible. Floats depicted the culture of Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan and the four provinces and the frontline healthcare workers against COVID-19 were also part of the parade. The Dhol party representing various Dhols of all federating units was spectacular show where women Dhol beaters was a very popular part and also depicted folk dances of various federating units beautifully.

Apart from commandos of Pakistan Army, Pakistan Navy and PAF, sky divers from Bahrain, Iraq, Palestine, Sri Lanka and Turkey exhibited free fall. The president visited the ‘Pride of Pakistan’ enclosure and met those making outstanding contributions in different fields, including a lady from Karachi who is providing meals for only Rs3 since 19 years, besides the first female member of Bomb Disposal Squad from the KP, Ali Gohar from Balochistan, who lost his both hands but paints with his feet, the 9-year-old child prodigy Natalia Najam who made it to the Guinness Book of World Records by beating an Indian academician by arranging periodic table in record time, Emanuel Guddo, a photojournalist from Mirpurkhas, Sindh, who portrays the beauty of Sindh through photographs, Zara Naeem who scored the first position in ACCA out of 179 countries, Farzana Bibi despite being a victim of polio campaigning against polio.

Commander Bahrain National Guard, General Sheikh Isa Bin Khalifa, Commander UK Strategic Command Sir Patrick Sanders and Commander Sri Lankan Army were dignitaries who witnessed the parade.