1965 War brings back memories of remarkable victory against an enemy much bigger in size: Speakers
September 6 shines in the history of Pakistan as a ‘Day of Victory’ against an enemy much bigger in size and far more resourceful with regard to weaponry and equipment. This is the day when the Pakistani nation realized its real strength i.e. faith and resolve to defend the Motherland against the aggressor.
Rich tributes were paid to the ‘ghazis’ and ‘martyrs’ of 1965 War at an event organized by the Nazriya Pakistan Council (NPC) at the Aiwan-e-Quaid, Fatima Jinnah Park to mark the Youm-e-Difa or Defence Day.
The seminar was addressed by Chairman of the NPC, Mian Muhammad Javed, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Pakistan Observer, Mr Faisal Zahid Malik, Maj Gen (R) Rehmat Khan (keynote speaker), Maj Gen (R) Muhammad Tahir, ex-Senator RazinaAlam Khan, NargisNasir, AfshanAbbasi, Munir Ahmed, ImtiazQureshi, RubinaNasir, Muhammad WaqarHussain, and Director Media of the NPC HameedQaisar.
Maj Gen Rehmat Khan in his keynote address “1965r: A Bright Chapter in the War History” remembered the days when the under-resourced and under-staffed Pakistani forces faced the Indian aggression from multiple sides. They were armed with heavy guns, tanks and air force, he said adding, we woke to the reality that we were attacked by the Indian forces. However, surprisingly none of the Pakistani soldiers or the officers faltered. We fought back with conviction and courage, said Gen Rehmat, adding there was fierce fighting at the Sialkot and Chaunda fronts and the Pakistani forces displaying remarkable valour and the Indian forces had to retreat from all fronts.
Pakistan’s brave forces and officers kept at bay the hostile enemy for days at the war fronts of Lahore and Sialkot despite heavy artillery, tanks and other war machinery used mercilessly by India. It is an irony that the boastful general of the Indian army who had claimed to have evening tea at Lahore Gymkhana was arrested from there, he said.
Chairman of the NPC Mian Muhammad Javed said it was the second military conflict with India after the 1948 war and Pakistan at that time was without proper equipment, weaponry, resources. Despite all that our forces and the people were motivated with patriotism and fought the aggressor bravely, said MianJaved.
Faisal Zahid Malik also saluted the Pak Army for standing against a much bigger enemy and held that the brave soldiers are sacrificing their lives even today in war against terrorism and the entire nation is indebted to them. My father and Founder Chairman of the NPC, Zahid Malik (late) had always emphasized that we at the NPC and Pakistan Observer are the defenders of the ideological borders of Pakistan, he said.
SenRazinaAlam Khan who is widow of Gen (R) ShamimAlam Khan former Chairman (1991-1994) of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee said she had seen closely how the families of the martyrs coped with the loss of their dear ones.
