Mamnoon open to talks with India
islamabad — President Mamnoon Hussain has said Pakistan is ready to hold talks with India on all issues, including Kashmir, as he opened an annual military parade to mark the country’s National Day.
Chinese and Saudi troops also participated in Thursday’s parade as a show of strong friendship with Pakistan. Pakistan displayed nuclear-capable weapons, tanks, jets and other weapons at the parade.
President Mamnoon Hussain told the audience it was the first time Chinese troops participated in a parade in a foreign country, terming it a “historic event”.
Islamabad considers China an “all-weather friend” and in recent years the countries have grown even closer on the back of the $57 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a Beijing-funded network of road, rail and pipelines that will link western China with Pakistan’s Arabian Sea port of Gwadar.
In a televised speech, Hussain accused India of endangering peace by violating a cease-fire in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir.
During the parade, the country’s defence forces spectacularly exhibited the spirit, valour and level of preparedness to defend the motherland on 77th Pakistan Day.
The joint services parade, being the main function to mark the day, was held here at Parade Venue, Shakarparian.
President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif were the chief guest and guest of honour respectively.
Chief of the National Defence Forces of South Africa, General Solly Zacharia Shoke, witnessed the parade as the special guest, which was especially participated by the tri-services troops of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) China, a contingent of Special Services Group of Saudi Royal Forces and Meheter Band, the oldest military band of Turkey.
Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Mohammed Zakaullah and Defence Minister Khawaja Mohammed Asif were also present at the dais.
The event has attained historic value as the defence forces of brotherly and friendly countries like, China Saudi Arabia and Turkey participated in the Pakistan Day Joint Services Parade for the first time.
A large number of federal cabinet members, parliamentarians,
it was the first time chinese troops participated in a parade in a foreign country and it is a historic event Mamnoon Hussain, President of Pakistan
diplomats, foreign dignitaries, civil and military officers and general public witnessed the historic moments and appreciated the armed and civil forces on display of their mastery and technique achieved by them over the period.
Air Marshal Suhail Aman led the fly past by himself flying a fighter aircraft marking the inauguration of the ceremony by presenting salute to the chief guest and guests while the personnel of the Special Services Group of the three forces presented farewell salute through freefall at the Parade Venue.
The band from the brotherly country played the tune of famous national song ‘Jeevay Pakistan’ with the entire crowd singing in chorus.
The march past by troops from China and Saudi Arabia also aroused thunderous applause from the spectators. Another enthralling event of the day was aerobatic manoeuvres by the Brave Hearts (Sherdil) team comprising six jets of Pakistan Air Force (PAF), which flew in the skies for quite some time to receive high acclaim. Indigenously built multirole aircraft JF-17 Thunder with the assistance of China was also part of the fly past which flew at variable velocities and showcased a number manoeuvres and aerobatics by flying low and high in the air. — AP, APP