Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari on March 23 urged all political parties to set aside their differences to tackle the multiple problems faced by the cash-strapped country amidst increasing political polarisation and a spike in terror attacks.

Mr. Zardari was addressing the 84th Pakistan Day celebrations and Army parade held at the Parade Ground area in Islamabad.

The day marks the adoption of the historic Lahore Resolution on this day in 1940 which provided a framework for the realisation of the goal of a separate homeland for Muslims of South Asia.

Saudi Defence Minister Khalid Bin Salman was the guest of honour on the occasion. Mr. Zardari inspected the parade of tri-services and admired the preparedness of the forces. He also used the occasion to urge for building internal consensus while shunning political differences.

“I request all political parties that they should set aside all their political issues and work for the development and prosperity of the country,” Mr. Zardari, who was elected as President earlier this month, said.

Mr. Zardari was referring to the protest by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) against the alleged rigging in the election and imprisonment of its leader Imran Khan. Mr. Zardari said that Pakistan was facing multiple challenges but the newly-elected government would address the challenges faced by the country.

“I am happy that a democratic government has been set up after elections. Now it is our responsibility to tackle all challenges. I believe that as we did in the past, we will tackle all problems and we will take the country out of the current troubles,” he said.

He said Pakistani forces were strong enough to face the threat and defend the country, adding that the success of Pakistan against terrorism has been acknowledged by the world.

The President said the country had already set up the Special Investment Facilitation Centre (SIFC), including top civil and military leadership, to make key decisions regarding developing important sectors such as mining, agriculture, and information technology.

Mr. Zardari said that Pakistan being a peaceful nuclear state was eager to have good ties with all neighbours but warned that it would not tolerate any kind of aggression.

“We will not tolerate any kind of effort by terrorists or any group to destabilise our country,” he said, apparently referring to the spike in terror attacks in the country and tensions with neighbouring Afghanistan.

The President termed the unresolved issue of Kashmir as the main source of instability in the region and urged the dispute should be resolved according to the UN resolutions. “The people of Pakistan will always stand by Kashmiris in their struggle and will always support them,” he said, reiterating Islamabad’s stated stand.

India has firmly told Pakistan that Jammu and Kashmir will always be an integral and inalienable part of the country. Mr. Zardari also demanded an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and urged for the opening of a humanitarian corridor to provide timely support to the besieged people of Gaza.

The President especially thanked China, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Turkiye for providing support to debt-trapped Pakistan in difficult times.

The main feature of the day was the grand military parade in Islamabad where contingents of three armed forces and other security forces conducted a march past while fighter planes performed aerobatic maneuvers.

Separately, Mr. Zardari, who became Pakistan’s President for a second time, stressed the nation to participate in the nation-building process actively, embracing the values of hard work, integrity, and compassion.

In his message on Pakistan Day, he honoured the commitment and sacrifices made by the Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and his companions.

“Our armed forces, civil administration, police, and law enforcement agencies have, with unwavering commitment, ensured the safety, security, and sovereignty of our nation,” he said.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in his message asked the nation to renew the firm resolve to follow the footsteps of the founding fathers to make Pakistan a trivet of peace, progress and stability.

“Our forefathers made untiring efforts and rendered exemplary sacrifices for Pakistan as millions of Muslims left their homes in India and decided to migrate to Pakistan,” he said.

“We are completely cognisant of the serious challenges confronting Pakistan currently including inflation, unemployment, circular debt, fiscal and trade deficit, and above all the growing scourge of terrorism,” he said and assured to stand committed to putting Pakistan on the path to economic recovery and prosperity with a cogent policy reform framework.

Radio Pakistan reported that special prayers were offered in mosques after predawn prayers for the prosperity and solidarity of the country. The national flag was hoisted on major government buildings.

There was no immediate comment by Pakistan’s military and the Taliban government in Afghanistan denounced the strikes, which are likely to further increase tension between the neighbouring countries.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

“Pakistani airstrikes targeted multiple suspected hideouts of Pakistani Taliban inside Afghanistan early Monday (March 18), two days after insurgents killed seven soldiers in a suicide bombing and coordinated attacks in the northwest,” two security officials said.

There was no immediate comment by Pakistan’s military and the Taliban government in Afghanistan denounced the strikes, which are likely to further increase tension between the neighbouring countries.

Two Pakistani security and intelligence officials said the airstrikes were carried out in Khost and Paktika provinces bordering Pakistan. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to media on the record.

The officials provided no further details, and it was unclear whether jets went deep inside Afghanistan. The Pakistani Taliban also confirmed Monday’s strikes in a statement.

Chief Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement that Pakistan’s airstrikes in Barmal distirct in Paktika killed three women and three children while two other women were killed in the strike in Khost province.

The airstrikes came two days after a suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden truck into a military post in northwest Pakistan, killing seven soldiers.

Pakistani troops also came under attack on March 16 and they killed all six militants responsible in a shootout in North Waziristan, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that borders Afghanistan.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari attended the funerals of the soldiers and vowed to retaliate for their killings, saying “the blood of our martyred soldiers will not go in vain.” Saturday’s attack on the military post was claimed by a newly formed militant group, Jaish-e-Fursan-e-Muhammad. However, Pakistani security officials believed the group mainly is comprised of members of the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP, which often targets Pakistani soldiers and police.

Syed Muhammad Ali, an Islamabad based security expert, said Monday’s strikes were in retaliation for a series of TTP attacks, especially the one on Saturday in Mir Ali in which an Army lieutenant colonel and captain were among those killed.

He said the Pakistani strikes came within 24 hours of Mr. Zardari’s promise of strong retaliation. “It also indicates that Pakistan’s patience for the Afghan interim government’s continued hospitality for terrorists conducting frequent attacks on Pakistan from inside Afghanistan has finally run out,” he said.

The Pakistani Taliban are a separate group but are allies of the Afghanistan Taliban, who seized power in Afghanistan in 2021 as the U.S. and NATO troops were in the final stages of their pullout. The Taliban takeover in Afghanistan emboldened TTP, whose top leaders and fighters are hiding in Afghanistan.

Though the Taliban government in Afghanistan often says it will not allow TTP or any other militant group to attack Pakistan or any other country from its soil, the Pakistani Taliban have stepped up attacks inside Pakistan in recent years, straining relations with the Afghan Taliban government.