Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Zardari highlighted Pakistan’s growing role in regional security on Sunday as the nation observed its 61st Defence and Martyrs’ Day.
The day began with a 31-gun salute in Islamabad and a 21-gun salute in the provincial capitals, state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported.
A change of guards was also held at the Quaid’s mausoleum in Karachi. A contingent of 64 male and eight female cadets from the Pakistan Air Force Academy participated in the guard-changing ceremony with Asghar Khan assuming guard duties.
Defence Day is observed every year on September 6 to commemorate the legacy of the 1965 war, which began after India launched an attack across the international border. The war ended with a ceasefire on September 22, and peace between the two countries was negotiated under Soviet auspices in Tashkent on January 10, 1966.
During this war, 1617 square miles of territory was occupied by Pakistan as compared to 446 square miles of Pakistan’s open and undefended territory occupied by India. The Pakistan Army had captured 20 Indian officers, 19 junior Indian commissioned officers and 569 other ranks.
