Martyrs, veterans pride of nation: COAS
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Asim Munir said on Thursday that the "Shuhda and the Ghazis are our enduring pride", and emphasised that the "peace and liberty" were the result of the sacrifices of the nation's brave sons.
Addressing a ceremony to award awards among the army officers and soldiers who demonstrated courage and bravery, Gen Asim expressed his profound admiration for the resilience and fortitude of the families of the Shuhada, acknowledging their unparalleled sacrifices for the homeland.
At the investiture ceremony at the General Headquarters (GHQ), Gen Asim Munir conferred the Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Military) and Tamgha-i-Basalat on the soldiers and officers in recognition of their distinguished service to the nation and display of exceptional valour during operations.
According to a news release issued by Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) here, the ceremony was attended by a large number of senior military officials and families of the award recipients. It added that medals awarded posthumously were received with honour by the families of the Shuhada.
In his address the army chief paid homage to the martyrs and veterans. "Shuhada and Ghazis are our enduring pride. Their honour and reverence are a sacred trust upon every Pakistani," he said.
"The peace and liberty we cherish today are the result of the ultimate sacrifices rendered by these valiant sons of the soil," he added. He expressed profound admiration for the resilience and fortitude of the families of the Shuhada and their unparalleled sacrifices for the homeland.
Commending the unyielding resolve of the Pakistan Army and law-enforcement agencies (LEAs), the COAS appreciated their relentless efforts in thwarting multiple terrorist threats and eliminating high-value terrorist operatives during ongoing counterterrorism operations.
Separate investiture ceremonies were also held at Peshawar, Lahore and Karachi corps to honour the bravery and meritorious service of the officers and soldiers, the ISPR stated in a separate news release. A large number of senior army officers and families of awardees attended the ceremonies, it added. (WITH INPUT FROM APP)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
2 hours ago
- Express Tribune
PM Shehbaz arrives in Azerbaijan for 17th ECO Summit
Listen to article Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Azerbaijan on Thursday for a two-day official visit to participate in the 17th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO). The summit, being held in Khankendi from July 3 to 4 under the theme 'New ECO Vision for a Sustainable and Climate Resilient Future', brings together heads of state and government from member countries to discuss pressing regional issues, including connectivity, trade, and climate change. Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif arrives in Shusha for his two day official visit to attend the 17th Summit of ECO. Azerbaijan's Minister for Culture Adil Karimli received Prime Minister upon his arrival at Fuzuli Airport. Shusha, 3 July, 2025.@CMShehbaz — PTV News (@PTVNewsOfficial) July 3, 2025 PM Shehbaz is accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi, as he leads the Pakistani delegation. Upon his arrival at Fuzuli International Airport, the prime minister was received by Azerbaijan's Minister of Culture Adil Karimli, Azerbaijan's Ambassador to Pakistan Khazar Farhadov, Pakistan's Ambassador to Azerbaijan Qasim Moinuddin, and senior diplomatic and government officials. Read More: PM to attend 17th ECO summit in Baku According to the Foreign Office, the prime minister will address the summit, outlining Pakistan's perspective on key regional and global issues. He is expected to reaffirm Pakistan's commitment to the ECO Vision 2025 and advocate for deeper intra-regional trade, enhanced transport connectivity, greater energy cooperation, and sustainable development. On the sidelines of the summit, Prime Minister Sharif is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with leaders of ECO member states to discuss matters of mutual interest, with a focus on economic collaboration, climate resilience, and regional peace, the statement added. Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif departs on his two day official visit of Azerbaijan, from Islamabad. — Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) July 3, 2025 The Economic Cooperation Organization traces its origins to the Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD), established in 1964. The ECO was formally launched in 1985 and currently comprises ten member states from South and Central Asia as well as the Middle East. Pakistan has consistently voiced concern over the global climate crisis, highlighting its disproportionate vulnerability despite contributing less than one percent to global carbon emissions. Also Read: PM Shehbaz pushes for cashless economy to boost transparency In recent years, Pakistan has experienced increasingly erratic weather patterns, rising temperatures, and accelerated glacial melt — all contributing to a rise in climate-related disasters. The 2022 floods, which affected over 33 million people, claimed more than 1,700 lives, and caused damages and economic losses exceeding $30 billion, underscored the urgency of coordinated climate action. The prime minister is expected to raise the issue of climate justice in his address, calling for stronger regional collaboration and international support for mitigation and adaptation efforts in climate-vulnerable countries.
Express Tribune
3 hours ago
- Express Tribune
India blocks celebrity accounts and YouTube channels after brief access
Listen to article India has once again blocked the social media accounts of several prominent Pakistani celebrities and Youtube channels, just a day after some accounts were briefly accessible due to what Indian officials called a 'technical glitch'. Accounts belonging to Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan and Hania Aamir remained restricted on Thursday, while those of Mawra Hocane, Saba Qamar, Ahad Raza Mir, Yumna Zaidi, and Danish Taimoor were briefly visible to users in India on Wednesday before being restricted again. The YouTube channels of former cricketers Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Akhtar along with many tv channels were also temporarily restored. Many users in India reported on social media that they were unable to access the accounts once again. According to Indian media, users once again receive a message stating, 'Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content' when accessing Pakistani accounts. The bans come in the aftermath of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed. India has accused Pakistan of backing the attackers. Pakistan has vehemently denied Indian accusations. Read: Pakistani celebrities use satire to mock India's social media ban The initial wave of account bans coincided with this conflict as several Pakistani celebrities including Fahad Mustafa, Hina Altaf and Ushna Shah criticised Indian attack that hit mosques and civilian homes. India's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has not issued a formal explanation, but sources told India Today the temporary access was due to a technical error and has now been corrected. Officials added that roughly 14,000 accounts remain banned and will be reviewed periodically based on compliance with India's digital regulations and national security laws. Read more: Hania Aamir refutes falsely-attributed statement on Pahalgam attack Separately, actor Hania Aamir, featured in Sardaar Ji 3 opposite Diljit Dosanjh, recently became the focus of renewed backlash after Indian media questioned her casting amid heightened cross-border tensions. Producers later clarified she was signed before the hostilities began. In a interview with Haroon Rashid of the BBC Asian Network, Diljit Dosanjh addressed the backlash surrounding the casting of Hania Aamir in Sardaar Ji 3, saying, "When this film was being made, the [political] situation was fine. When we shot this film in February, everything was fine. But a lot of big things are not in our hands".
Business Recorder
5 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Aurangzeb engages global partners at FFD4 in Spain
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb held a series of high-level bilateral meetings and strategic engagements on the sidelines of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4), currently underway in Seville, Spain. These meetings were aimed at fostering deeper strategic cooperation with partner countries and institutions across areas such as development finance, trade, climate resilience, and institutional capacity-building, read a statement released by the Ministry of Finance on Thursday. Aurangzeb, who is representing Pakistan in the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4), met with Eelco Heinen, Minister of Finance of the Netherlands, for a detailed bilateral exchange. Aurangzeb urges global push to revive development cooperation at FfD4 As per the statement, the meeting focused on further strengthening the long-standing and cordial ties between the two countries, particularly in the domains of trade, development cooperation, climate resilience, and institutional capacity-building. Both sides shared perspectives on enhancing economic engagement, technical collaboration, and the potential for deepening partnerships in areas such as blended finance, climate finance, and digital transformation. The Pakistani side expressed keen interest in leveraging Dutch expertise in agri-tech, water management, and the digitization of public services. During the meeting, the Dutch Finance Minister reaffirmed his country's support for Pakistan's structural reform agenda and emphasised the importance of policy continuity, transparency, and facilitation of investment flows. Aurangzeb also held a detailed meeting with Axel van Trotsenburg, Senior Managing Director of the World Bank, on the sidelines of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development. The minister appreciated the World Bank's continued support for Pakistan's development agenda and shared updates on the successful review of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program and ongoing reforms under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). He also highlighted the launch of Pakistan's National Green Taxonomy, developed with World Bank support, which aims to guide sustainable investments and is expected to be approved soon. Aurangzeb welcomed the World Bank's endorsement of the new 10-year Country Partnership Framework (CPF 2026–2035), which focuses on key areas including child stunting, learning poverty, climate resilience, fiscal space, decarbonization, and private investment. In a separate meeting, the finance minister held in-depth discussions with Alvaro Lario, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), a specialized UN agency focused on rural development and food system transformation. The two sides reviewed the long-standing collaboration between Pakistan and IFAD. Aurangzeb acknowledged IFAD's ongoing support through six active projects in Pakistan. The meeting covered a wide range of IFAD-supported initiatives in Pakistan, including policy support, vocational training, community infrastructure, access to finance, climate-smart agriculture, value chain development, and resilience against climate shocks. Additionally, Aurangzeb met with John W.H. Denton AO, Secretary-General of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). The two discussed avenues for enhanced cooperation in trade facilitation, SME development, investment promotion, and the role of the ICC in supporting Pakistan's economic transformation. Particular emphasis was placed on private sector engagement, international best practices, and institutional capacity building to unlock new opportunities for sustainable growth and inclusive development in Pakistan.
