Muzaffarabad (TDI): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has welcomed a recent assessment presented to the US Congress that credited Pakistan with military success during its four-day confrontation with India in May.
He said the report reaffirmed the professionalism and capability of Pakistan’s armed forces. Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for a Daanish School in Harighel, Azad Kashmir, PM Shehbaz said the findings echoed what the country had long believed about the performance of its troops.
He noted that the congressional document highlighted Pakistan’s strong showing in the conflict known as Marka-e-Haq, including the downing of seven Indian aircraft. The prime minister commended Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir for guiding the forces through the operation.
“Our soldiers and pilots earned Pakistan respect at the international level,” the prime minister remarked, adding that both civilian and military leadership had taken bold, timely decisions in the face of Indian aggression.
The report, compiled by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, stated that Pakistani forces had shot down several Indian warplanes, including Rafales, during the clash. It also observed that the confrontation later became a major reference point for Chinese defense exports.
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PM Shehbaz said the country must now channel the same resolve toward improving its economy. After demonstrating Pakistan’s military capability, he said, the next task was to secure progress on the economic front. “No nation can succeed without building economic strength,” he stressed.
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, saying the country would continue its moral, diplomatic, and political efforts on their behalf. He added that he hoped the children of occupied Kashmir would one day study in Daanish Schools as well.
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The prime minister highlighted plans to expand the Daanish School system, launched in Punjab in 2010, to other areas of Azad Kashmir. New campuses are planned for Neelum Valley and Forward Kahuta to provide students from disadvantaged backgrounds with quality education, modern facilities, trained teachers, and free meals, uniforms, and accommodation.
The PM said the government’s priority remained sustainable economic development, and he directed the newly formed AJK administration to focus on effective governance and better public services.
