Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced the formation of “Army Rocket Force Command” to bolster the nation’s defence capabilities.

Islamabad is boosting its military capabilities following its recent military confict with India, increasing defence budget by 20 per cent for the fiscal year 2025-2026.

“On this occasion, today, I announce the formation of the Army Rocket Force Command,” the prime minister said while addressing a special ceremony held at Islamabad’s Jinnah Sports Stadium on late Wednesday night to celebrate Pakistan’s 79th Independence Day and Marka-i-Haq.

Marka-i-Haq (Battle of Truth) is a term the state uses for the recent conflict with India, when Pakistan responded to Indian aggression following the April 22 Pahalgam attack, before a ceasefire was reached on May 10.

“Equipped with modern technology and capable of targeting the enemy from every direction, this force will prove another milestone in further strengthening our conventional war capabilities,” PM Shehbaz said.

Pakistan has sophisticated missile capabilities, some of which it deployed in May alongside J-10C Vigorous Dragon and JF-17 Thunder fighter jets.

“After the recent conflict, the object of course is to further strengthen Pakistan’s military capability and this is a part of that process,” defence analyst Talat Masood, a former general, told AFP.

The high-profile event last night featured a countdown to midnight and culminated in a spectacular fireworks display as the national anthem was played.

It was attended by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir, President Asif Ali Zardari, Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, federal and state ministers, and diplomats.

Parades were taken out by the different branches of the armed forces, while military personnel from Turkiye and Azerbaijan also featured in the parade. Pakistan Air Force Falcons also performed a fly past over the venue.

During his address, the premier highlighted that the recent military conflict with India concluded with Pakistan’s decisive victory “within three to four days”.

“India forgot that wars are not won with weapons alone, but with the spirit of the nation,” he said, adding that the defeat taught India a lesson it will never forget.

PM Shehbaz hailed the post-conflict period as the “birth of a new Pakistan” and called COAS Munir a “son of the nation”, whose strategy led to a decisive military victory.

The prime minister also unveiled the digital model of the Marka-i-Haq Monument.

He praised the leadership of COAS Munir, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Sahir Shamshad, and PAF Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber for their coordinated and swift response to Indian aggression.

The military confrontation between India and Pakistan came in May as the former, without evidence, linked the Pahalgam attack to Islamabad, which strongly denied the allegations. On the night of May 6-7, New Delhi launched a series of air strikes on Pakistan, killing at least 40 civilians. Both sides then exchanged missiles, which stretched over the week, before a US-brokered ceasefire had both sides agree to stop the hostilities.

During his address, the premier also paid homage to the pioneers of Pakistan’s atomic programme, especially ex-president Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, along with other politicians, scientists, and the armed forces, for making Pakistan the seventh atomic power of the world.

He also commended then-PM Nawaz Sharif, his brother and PML-N president, for resisting international pressure in 1998 and taking the brave decision to go ahead with the nuclear tests in Balochistan’s Chagai.

“Our nuclear arsenal is not for aggression. It is only for defence purposes,” the prime minister stressed.

The premier also unveiled the digital model of the Marka-i-Haq Monument.

In another highlight of the event, PM Shehbaz invited all political parties to become part of ‘Misaq-i-Istehkam-i-Pakistan’, to lay the basis for the greater national interest.

He underscored the need for the pact so the whole world could see that “differences have their own place, but we are all one for the sake of our beloved Pakistan”.

Additional input from AFP