Marka-i-Haq | Pakistan

LAHORE: Punjab has decided to include the four-day war between Pakistan and India — Marka-i-Haq — in the national curriculum and make films on it. The decision was taken in a meeting of the Information Steering Committee with Punjab Information and Culture Minister Azma Bokhari in the chair here on Wednesday. “To instil a spirit of patriotism among the younger generation, the content related to Marka-i-Haq will be incorporated into the academic curriculum. Besides, the programmes related to it (Marka-i-Haq) and national unity would be held in private educational institutions with the same enthusiasm as that of the public,” the minister said. The four-day armed conflict between Pakistan and India in May last year marked one of the most serious military escalations between the two nuclear-armed neighbours in recent years. Tensions erupted after a militant attack in Indian-occupied Kashmir, which New Delhi blamed on Pakistan-based elements, an allegation Islamabad denied. Films on war narrative will also be prod...

Marka-i-Haq is a “defining landmark” in the nation’s journey, the military said on Saturday as Pakistan marked the first anniversary of the brief war with India. In a statement released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military said that the brief conflict demonstrated Pakistan’s measured and resolute response and “exposed adversarial conspiracies, false flag narratives and disinformation campaigns, diminishing their credibility internationally”. Last year’s confrontation with India, beginning with the April 22 Pahalgam attack and the subsequent military conflict — which resulted in a resounding victory for Pakistan — until the ceasefire on May 10, is now referred to by the state as Marka-i-Haq (Battle of Truth). “Marka-i-Haq has become a defining landmark in the nation’s journey, reflecting national resolve, military excellence, and strategic maturity.” “Despite facing conventional and hybrid challenges, including proxy terrorism, the Armed Forces demonstrated superior operational competenc...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Saturday that Pakistan can neither be “intimidated nor subdued by any aggressor” as the nation marks the first anniversary of Marka-i-Haq. Last year’s confrontation with India, beginning with the April 22 Pahalgam attack and the subsequent military conflict — which resulted in a resounding victory for Pakistan — until the ceasefire on May 10, is now referred to by the state as Marka-i-Haq (Battle of Truth). “Marka-i-Haq bears testimony that Pakistanis are a peace-loving, yet courageous, resilient, and dignified nation who can neither be intimidated nor subdued by any aggressor,” said the premier in a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The prime minister, expressing his gratitude to the Almighty, said the day commemorates Pakistan’s “valiant stand in adversity” and the “crushing defeat” inflicted upon India. “The nation pays tribute to its martyrs, their families and the ghazis who stood like a steel wall to defend their homeland,” said the statement....

A year ago, Pakistan and India fought a short but intense war — the worst military confrontation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours in decades. During the period of Marka-i-Haq (the battle for truth), Indian fighter jets were shot down, and Pakistan launched Operation Bunyanum Marsoos — a barrage of attacks against Indian military targets — in retaliation for missile strikes by New Delhi. The conflict ended with a US-brokered ceasefire. During the four-day war, Pakistan showcased a wide variety of weaponry and military technology, ranging from advanced missiles to network-linked warfare systems. Let’s take a look at some of them here. ‘Seeing without seeing’ — network-centric warfare One of the deadliest tools in Pakistan’s arsenal was unleashed in the early hours of May 7: the use of network-centric warfare. This doctrine involves sharing real-time data and information across multiple domains, such as between fighter jets, airborne early warning aircraft and ground-based command centres, to gain an adv...

A ceremony will be held at General Headquarters (GHQ) Rawalpindi on Sunday morning to mark one year since Pakistan’s victory in Marka-i-Haq, according to Radio Pakistan. Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir will be the chief guest at the event. Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu and Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf will also attend the ceremony. A floral wreath will be laid at the Yadgar-e-Shuhada, followed by a salute presented by smartly turned-out contingents of the three armed forces. Field Marshal Munir is also expected to address the ceremony. Traffic advisory issued ahead of Marka-i-Haq event Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon said on Saturday that the capital’s traffic police had issued an advisory for May 10 (Sunday) for an event in connection with the anniversary of Marka-i-Haq. Sources told Dawn earlier that the top civilian and military leadership was expected to attend a ceremony to be held at t...

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said on Thursday that Pakistan was “prepared” as he highlighted the armed forces’ indigenous military capabilities. He made the remarks while addressing a press conference in Islamabad as the nation commemorated the one-year anniversary of Marka-i-Haq. The deputy chief of naval staff (operations), Rear Admiral Shifaat Ali, and the deputy chief of air staff (projects), Air Vice Marshal Tariq Ghazi, were also present alongside him. Last year’s military conflict with India, starting from the April 22 Pahalgam attack to the end of Pakistan’s Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, with a ceasefire ending a military escalation between the two countries on May 10, has been called “Marka-i-Haq” (Battle of Truth) by the state. “We welcome you to ISPR on this happy day,” he said at the outset of his presser, congratulating the nation on the one-year anniversary of Marka-i-Haq. He said that the country’s armed forces had risen to the nation’s expe...

The military’s media affairs wing has said that any hostile design against Pakistan will be countered with “even greater strength, precision and resolve far stronger than what was witnessed by the adversary during Marka-i-Haq”. Last year’s military conflict with India, starting from the April 22 Pahalgam attack to the end of Pakistan’s Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, with a ceasefire ending a military escalation between the two countries on May 10, has been called “Marka-i-Haq” (Battle of Truth) by the state. In a statement released late Wednesday night to mark the first anniversary of the conflict with India, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the armed forces, particularly the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) “proudly commemorate a defining chapter in the nation’s military history; one that strengthened national confidence, reaffirmed institutional resolve and validated PAF’s relentless pursuit of modernization and focused capability enhancement”. “This historic milestone reflects PAF’s steadfast journey ...

In a televised message marking Marka-i-Haq, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday warned that Pakistan’s reaction to any miscalculation in the future would be “more intense and decisive”. Last year’s military conflict with India, starting from the April 22 Pahalgam attack to the end of Pakistan’s Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, with a ceasefire ending a military escalation between the two countries on May 10, has been called “Marka-i-Haq” (Battle of Truth) by the state. In his message, Asif said Marka-i-Haq was not just a “memorable episode for Pakistan, but a line that we have drawn forever”. Anyone on the other side of this line should understand that Pakistan exercised tolerance and restraint during the 2025 episode, he said, warning that in case of an “incorrect assessment or miscalculation” in the future, the response would be “more intense and decisive”. He added that Pakistan did not want any fighting in 2025, and it desired the same today. “But there should not be any doubt; Pakistan does not only re...

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Monday hailed Pakistan’s “victory” against India during last year’s military conflict, affirming that the country was “not a nation that bows”. He was addressing an event in Karachi organised by the Sindh government to commemorate Marka-i-Haq, where Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah also spoke. The term “Marka-i-Haq” is used by the state to refer to the 2025 conflict with India, starting from the April 22 Pahalgam attack to the end of Operation Bunyanum Marsoos with a ceasefire on May 10. “This victory was not the victory of weapons alone. It was a triumph of resolve. It was a triumph of unity and of people who refused to kneel,” said Bilawal, who is also the former foreign minister and had led a delegation abroad to convey Pakistan’s stance on the conflict. “From the mountains of the north to the shores of the Arabian Sea, from the fields of Punjab to the deserts of Sindh and Balochistan, Pakistan stood as one,” he affirmed. “We are not a nation that bows before pressure. W...

Air Chief Marshal (ACM) Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu on Tuesday noted that Pakistan had emerged as a regional stabiliser after the May conflict with India. The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) chief made the remarks during the passing out parade at PAF Academy Asghar Khan in Risalpur in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Nowshera district. “In the wake of Marka-i-Haq, Pakistan has successfully emerged as a net stabiliser in this part of the world,” ACM Sidhu said. “As a responsible nuclear power, our relations with key global and regional powers have further strengthened, which is a testimony to the untiring effort of our diplomatic strategy and credible military prowess.” The Pakistan Army had named the period of conflict with India, from the April 22 Pahalgam attack to the May 10 conclusion of Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, as Marka-i-Haq in May. “The rising global relevance of Pakistan remains a growing concern for our adversary, and it exploits every opportunity to malign and destabilise Pakistan on the international front,” said the...

Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir on Wednesday lauded the “professionalism, resolve and commitment” demonstrated by the armed forces during Marka-i-Haq, stressing that it “enhanced” Pakistan’s global stature. The Pakistan Army had named the period of conflict with India, from the April 22 Pahalgam attack to the May 10 conclusion of Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, as Marka-i-Haq in May. The army chief made the remarks while addressing the participants of the National Security Workshop–27 who visited the General Headquarters (GHQ), according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). “The professionalism, resolve, and commitment of the armed forces displayed during Marka-i-Haq [have] enhanced the global stature of Pakistan,” the army chief was quoted as saying. In his remarks, the army chief stressed that Pakistan was a “country of consequence and is destined to reach its rightful place in the comity of nations”. “Our greatest strength lies in national unity, and together, we sh...

Military and civilian leadership, as well as the martyrs of “Marka-i-Haq” (Battle of Truth), were presented with national honours as part of celebrations to mark Pakistan’s 79th Independence Day on Thursday. In July, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said this year’s Independence Day would be marked as “Marka-i-Haq”. The term is used by the state to name the conflict with India from the April 22 Pahalgam attack to the end of Operation Bunyanum Marsoos with a ceasefire on May 10. In an earlier message today, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari said the day served as a reminder of courage, unity, and sacrifices that led to the creation of Pakistan and paid homage to the founding father Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the workers of the Pakistan Movement for their struggle and sacrifices. The awards, including both wartime and peacetime honours, were conferred by President Zardari and PM Shehbaz during a ceremony at the Presidency in Islamabad. Awards were conferred upon senior military...

Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday said that this year’s Independence Day would be celebrated under the banner of “Marka-i-Haq” (Battle of Truth) to demonstrate the nation’s resilience, progress, and pride. The Pakistan Army had named the period of conflict with India since the April 22 Pahalgam attack to the May 10 conclusion of Operation Bunyanum Marsoos as “Marka-i-Haq” in May. The military confrontation between India and Pakistan came as the former blamed Islamabad for the April 22 Pahalgam attack without evidence. On the night of May 6-7, New Delhi launched a series of air strikes on Pakistan, resulting in civilian casualties. Both sides then exchanged missiles, which stretched over the week. It took a US-brokered ceasefire for both sides to finally drop their guns. Iqbal presided over a preliminary meeting today under the prime minister’s directions to celebrate this year’s Independence Day with “full national spirit and renewed resolve”. Senior representatives from the Inter-Services Public Relat...

Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir has lauded the strategic foresight of the country’s political leadership during Marka-i-Haq that ensured the country’s success in Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos against India, the military’s media wing said on Saturday. Earlier this week, the government promoted Gen Munir to the rank of field marshal in recognition of his “strategic leadership and decisive role” in defeating India during the military confrontation between the two countries that ended with a US-mediated ceasefire. Field marshal is the highest rank in armies modelled after the British Army. In Pakistan, it was awarded only once before, to General Mohammad Ayub Khan in 1959. President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif formally decorated the army chief with the rank of field marshal at a ceremony held at the Presidency earlier this week. According to a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), while hosting a dinner, the army chief expressed profound gratitude to...