Prime minister pays tributes to ZA Bhutto, Nawaz Sharif for making country’s defence invincible through nuclear tests n Urges nation to move ahead with the same spirit as manifested on Youm-e-Takbeer to attain economic sovereignty and self-dependence n Maryam thanks Army for defending country's nuclear programme n Says May 9 and May 28 events exhibit difference of leadership n Nawaz says Pakistan has emerged as world’s 7th nuclear power and now is a living reality.

 

ISLAMABAD    -    Prime Minister Shehbaz Shar­if has said that Youm-e-Takbeer was not just a day but a story of the nation’s challenging and re­markable journey towards es­tablishing credible minimum deterrence. “National defence and sovereignty are impregna­ble. Youm-e-Takbeer is a clear declaration of "no compro­mise over country’s sovereign­ty, and defence", and a remind­er that the nation would not budge from any sacrifice to safe­guard,” the prime minister said in his statement on the occasion of Silver Jubilee of Youm-e-Tak­beer celebrated across the coun­try yesterday.

He said that the national de­fence, dignity and freedom are above everything to the nation and no one has the courage to take them away. He urged the nation to move ahead with the same spirit as manifested on Youm-e-Takbir to attain eco­nomic sovereignty and self-de­pendence.

The whole nation yesterday celebrated the silver jubilee an­niversary of Pakistan’s nucle­ar tests conducted 25 years ago on May 28, 1998. The prime minister on his Twitter handle said that on that day, Pakistan set a redline for its defence and laid down rules of the game for peace and stability in the region.

“On the Silver Jubilee of Youm-e-Takbeer, I pay rich tributes to the political & military leader­ship, scientists, engineers and all those who remained asso­ciated with our nuclear pro­gramme,” he said. May 28 is marked as Youm-i-Takbeer that led to achievement of invincible defence capabilities of the coun­try and ensured regional stabil­ity through power equilibrium. 

The nuclear tests made Paki­stan the seventh nuclear nation of the world and the first Mus­lim state, having the nuclear ar­senal in its defense stockpile.

The tests not only demon­strated the resolve of the Paki­stani nation to safeguard Pa­kistan’s territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty, but also the desire to preserve strategic balance in South Asia.

On that day, the Pakistani leadership, notwithstanding ex­ternal pressures and Indian he­gemonic designs to tilt pow­er balance through its nuclear tests, opted courageously in 1998 to respond, and restored the power balance in South Asia by conducting nuclear tests.

With such tactical and saga­cious response by Pakistan on May 28, 1998, it became “a red letter day” in the country’s his­tory, silencing the belligerent ruling junta in its neighbour­hood that was clamouring with ill-conceived expansionist de­signs. The history of acquiring the modern nuclear technolo­gy for exercising maximum re­straint and for purely peaceful purposes, entails commitment, patriotism and strong obliga­tion on the part of Pakistani leadership, for territorial integ­rity of the country.

The prime minister further said that their hard work, com­mitment and determination made it possible for the peo­ple to guard their independence from any physical threat.

“The day represents how the consensus between all elements of national power achieved what once looked like an uphill task,” he posted in a tweet.

The prime minister said Sha­heed Zulifkar Ali Bhutto was the visionary leader who initiated the nuclear programme, add­ing in a show of bold leadership, his leader Nawaz Sharif firmly rejected the policy of stick and carrot and made sure that the country became nuclear.

“All along, our Armed Forces remained a guardian & protec­tor of the programme in the face of malign intentions of our ene­mies,” he said.

The prime minister said that Pakistan is committed to the promotion of environment of peace and stability in South Asia, while preserving its capa­bility to ward off aggression or adventurism in any form.

He also said that Pakistan is a partner in international ef­forts to strengthen the global non-proliferation regime based on the principles of non-dis­crimination and equal security for all states. “It adheres to the latest international standards on export controls and main­tains highest standards of nu­clear safety and security,” the prime minister asserted.

Meanwhile, addressing a PML-N rally in Lahore to mark the Youm-e-Takbeer day, PML-N chief organizer and Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz said Nawaz Sharif carried out the nuclear explosions despite world pressure to ensure re­gional stability through power equilibrium.

She congratulated the nation on the 25th Takbeer Day. She nodded salutations to the ar­chitects of the nuclear program Nawaz Sharif and Shaheed Zu­lfiqar Ali Bhutto. 

She paid tribute to the “his­toric courage” of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. She said the PML-N supremo proved to be a lion-heart in difficult times.

She added that Nawaz Sharif carried out six nuclear blasts in response to India’s five in 1998. “India cannot think of carrying out a major attack against Paki­stan.” “Nawaz Sharif’s name can be underscored in terms of the development and defence of the country. When Nawaz Sharif de­cided to approve a nuclear test, the world mounted pressure on the country. Even Bill Clinton asked Nawaz Sharif not to con­duct a nuclear test,” she added.

“It was even said that the country would face sanctions, but Nawaz Sharif faced all the challenges. Despite facing polit­ical vendetta, the PML-N did not split. Nawaz Sharif’s aides stand firmly with him,” she main­tained. Taking a fresh jibe at PTI Chairman Imran Khan, she said, “The world remembers those people who are not involved in vandalism and develop the country”.

She castigated Imran Khan for his ‘weak response’ to India’s occupation of Kashmir. She also lashed out at the PTI chairman for allegedly attacking the army to weaken it.

Maryam Nawaz, while mock­ing Imran Khan’s party over its leaders’ mass departure, said that there were queues of those quitting the party. “How will the people stand when the lead­er himself is a jackal?” she said, while ridiculing former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

“Imran Khan was sending a message to the world to help him out,” she added.

The event participants also raised slogans in favour of the Pakistan Army and Nawaz Shar­if. She said Nawaz Sharif carried out the nuclear explosions de­spite an offer of bribe of billions of dollars and threats.

Maryam Nawaz has also ex­pressed gratitude to the Paki­stan Army for defending the country’s nuclear programme.

Maryam Nawaz, while mock­ing Imran Khan’s party over its leaders’ mass departure, said that there were ques of those quitting the party. “How will the people stand when the lead­er himself is a jackal?” she said while ridiculing former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

“Imran Khan was sending a message to the world to help him out,” she added. 

The event participants also raised slogans in favour of the Pakistan Army and Nawaz Shar­if. A special audio message from Nawaz Sharif was also aired during the ceremony.

In his audio message, the for­mer Nawaz Sharif said that he wanted to congratulate the na­tion on Youm-e-Takbeer Day.

Nawaz Sharif added that 25 years ago, the PML-N govern­ment passed through a test of history, on the one hand, the re­sponsibilities of defending the homeland, and on the other hand, there was an offer of bil­lions of dollars.

The PML-N supremo contin­ued that on one side were the wishes of the people and on the other side were the threats of the world. “There were coun­try’s prestige and fear of diffi­culties existed simultaneously.”

Nawaz Sharif said in this hour of the May 28 exam, Allah gave them the courage to make the right decision.

As soon as India made nu­clear explosions, we retaliated in the same coin, Nawaz Shar­if said added that Pakistan emerged as the seventh nucle­ar power in the world and be­came a living reality.

Along with being a nucle­ar country, Pakistan also be­came a hub of development and prosperity, Nawaz said.

These people do not know what enmity they have with the country, what they get by spoiling the country, Nawaz Sharif lamented.