Seminar speakers praise Army Chief for decisive leadership

LAHORE:The speakers at a seminar here paid tribute to Pakistan’s armed forces for their achievements and historic victory over India.

The seminar was jointly organised by “Khushhal Pakistan Forum” and “Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman Memorial Society”. Speakers congratulated Chief of Army Staff Gen Syed Asim Munir on being honored with the rank of Field Marshal, stating his name would forever be remembered in history for demonstrating exceptional military strategy against India. They hailed him as a guiding light for future generations.

The event also marked the launch of the “Khushhal Pakistan Forum”, a new think tank. The chief guest, Federal Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, declared May 10, 2025, marked Pakistan’s “second birth,” emphasising the spirit of the nation on that day was unprecedented.

He recounted how India had hastily filed an FIR against Pakistan within ten minutes of Pahalgam incident, and used it as a pretext for aggression. In response, Pakistan destroyed six Indian warplanes, including three Rafale jets, leaving France protesting India’s damage to its global reputation.

Dr Chaudhry praised the armed forces and the nation for their united front, forcing India to its knees through a combination of airstrikes and cyber warfare. He reiterated Pakistan’s desire for peace, but warned any aggression would be met with a “double response.” He also expressed gratitude to China, Turkey and Azerbaijan for their support, particularly highlighting China’s unwavering solidarity.

The minister credited Pakistan’s armed forces for using Chinese-made equipment with unwavering faith, which brought honor to the nation. He lauded Field Marshal Asim Munir for his decisive leadership and Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu for modernising Pakistan Air Force.

Reflecting on history, Dr Chaudhry paid homage to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Dr Qadeer Khan for advancing Pakistan’s nuclear programme, and Nawaz Sharif for conducting nuclear tests. He emphasised the Kashmir issue had regained global attention and that celebrating this victory was Pakistan’s right. Lt Gen (retd) Muhammad Afzal outlined the objectives of Khushhal Pakistan Forum, describing it as an initiative to strengthen Pakistan’s ideological, military, technological, scientific and social foundations.

He stressed the forum would provide policy recommendations and counter foreign propaganda by engaging with global media and think tanks. Air Marshal (retd) Asim Suleman and Vice Admiral (retd) Ahmed Saeed, highlighted the roles of Pakistan Air Force and Navy in the victory. Dr Jamal Nasir, former caretaker provincial minister, vowed to defend Pakistan against any threats, while Prof Dr Bushra Mirza, Vice Chancellor of FJWU called the war a collective national effort that restored hope and pride.