Pakistan's Defence Day a reminder of soldiers' sacrifice

By Nashir Mansor

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 -- The High Commission for the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, here, celebrated the 54th Anniversary of Defence Day in commemoration of the efforts and sacrifices made by the Pakistani armed forces during the 1965 War.

The celebration was held on Friday and attended by Chief of the Royal Malaysian Navy Admiral Datuk Mohd Reza Mohd Sany as its guest of honour, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Malaysia Amna Baloch, and the defence attaché community.

Defence Adviser of the high commission Commodore Ibrar Ishaque, in his speech, said the event was also an appropriate occasion to celebrate the resilience of the Pakistani people and the dedication of the republic’s armed forces in fighting terrorism.

He said terrorism and violent extremism are the two major global challenges that took its toll in the shape of flesh, blood and immeasurable economic losses.

In this regard, Ishaque said Pakistan and its people came up with a deliberately conceived plan to root out the menace of terrorism once and for all, having both kinetic and soft prongs.

“The counter terrorism deployment of troops surged from 20,000 in 2001 to over 200,000 currently deployed, with the active support of professional air force of Pakistan.

“Despite suffering more than 70,000 casualties (including injured people) and an economic loss of nearly US$120 billion, our commitment and pursuance to countering terrorism stands firm. As a result of these efforts, the menace of terrorism and extremism has been completely eliminated,” he said.

Ishaque said the efforts undertaken by the armed forces has significantly improved the security situation in Pakistan, with a greater sense of anticipation for a peaceful and prosperous future.

He added that the success story of Pakistan in countering terrorism and violent extremism had given the country a unique experience, and aided the country’s development of expertise in fighting terrorism.

“We are willing to share with all those who require our support in their fight against terrorism. The expertise we have developed in countering terrorism includes training infrastructure, doctrines, tactics and procedures to deal with 4th and 5th generation warfare; these can be of immense benefits to our partners,” he added.

-- BERNAMA