Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a powerful late-night address to the nation on Saturday, praised the unwavering courage and unity of the Pakistani people and armed forces in the face of recent hostilities with India.
He began his speech with the recitation and translation of verses from the holy Quran, invoking divine blessings for the nation and Operation Bunyan-um-Marsus.
Addressing the nation as "patriotic, proud, and dignified Pakistanis," the prime minister said, “I greet you from the depths of my heart. You have proven that Pakistanis are a self-reliant nation. Our sovereignty is dearer to us than our own lives, and when threatened, we stand united like an iron wall.”
The PM described India's recent actions as cowardly and shameful. “India used the Pahalgam incident as a pretext to impose an unjustified war on Pakistan. We responded with restraint, offered an immediate investigation, and rejected their baseless allegations. But in arrogance, India attempted to violate our borders, targeting civilian areas, mosques, and urban populations with missiles,” he said.
PM Shehbaz said that the enemy also tried unsuccessfully to target military installations, at which it was decided to respond to them in the language they understand well. "We made it clear to them that the issues that were supposed to be solved on the table will now be taken to the battlefield."
He emphasized that Pakistan responded with strength and dignity. “We did what befits a proud and dignified nation. Our brave armed forces created a golden chapter in military history. Their response silenced Indian guns within hours -- an act that history will remember. India's Rafale jets failed in the face of our falcons; the enemy's military and air bases have all been reduced to ashes. Our military action was against an ideology rooted in hostility, extremism, and prejudice.”
Paying tribute to the armed forces, Shehbaz Sharif said, “Our young soldiers—blessed by their mothers and prepared to sacrifice everything for Pakistan—stood fearless. Who can match the courage of these brave sons? Our entire nation stood by them like an iron wall.”
He added, “This victory belongs not just to the armed forces, but to the entire Pakistani nation. I salute the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, army chief General Asim Munir, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar, naval chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf, and every officer and soldier. I offer my heartfelt thanks to General Asim Munir and extend warm congratulations to the chief of air staff and his personnel, who made us proud.”
The prime minister also acknowledged the support of political leadership, saying, “I thank all opposition and political parties, as well as parliament, for displaying unprecedented national unity. I am especially grateful to our leader Nawaz Sharif for his leadership and to President Asif Ali Zardari for his wise counsel.”
He further praised the media and digital community: “I sincerely appreciate my journalist brothers and sisters, and the responsible social media users who exposed and countered India’s fake news campaigns with truth.”
He said that Pakistan's military prowess had stunned the world and the country would not rest until it regains its lost ground. "After emerging victorious in this crisis, we will devote our energies to the development of the country. Hopefully, we will always remember these historical facts."
He further said that Pakistan's long-time friend China, the Chinese president and the Chinese people had always supported Pakistan completely.
The PM also said that Pakistan responded positively to the ceasefire proposal as a responsible state, "and I am sure that there will be negotiations to resolve the water resources and Jammu and Kashmir issues".
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his gratitude to international leaders and organizations for their role in facilitating the ceasefire between Pakistan and India. He specifically thanked US President Donald Trump, the leadership of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, the United Kingdom, and the United Nations secretary general. He also acknowledged the support of other friendly nations during this critical time.
He noted that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed of the UAE, the emir of Qatar, and the president of Turkiye extended their encouragement and support to Pakistan.
The PM said that Pakistan, as a responsible state, responded positively to the ceasefire proposal. He expressed confidence that peaceful negotiations will now move forward to address the issues of water resource distribution and the long-standing Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
