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. We are not a nation that compromises its sovereignty. We are a nation that rises again and again, stronger, prouder and more united,” the PPP chairman declared.

Bilawal recalled, “Our armed forces fought with courage, discipline and honour. Our diplomats defended our position with clarity and conviction, and our brave and resilient people stood firm behind their nation.”

“Today, we do not merely mark the passage of time. We mark the endurance of a nation. We commemorate not just a victory, but the vindication of the very idea of Pakistan,” he said.

Bilawal recalled that a year ago, Pakistan “stood at the edge of uncertainty [as] drums of conflict echoed our borders”. “The air was thick with fear, speculation, and the designs of those who believed Pakistan could be bent, broken or bullied. They were wrong,” the PPP chairman added.

He emphasised that victory was “not measured by territory held or battles won”, but by “dignity preserved [and] sovereignty defended”. Victory, he added, was measured “by the message sent to the world that Pakistan will never be coerced, never be silenced, and will never surrender”.

The ex-FM also took aim at those “beyond our borders who seek to rewrite history”, asserting that history was “not written by noise”, but rather by nations that endured.

Bilawal clarified that Pakistan did not seek conflict or glorify war.

“But when the test came, we did not falter. We stood our ground not out of aggression, but out of necessity; not out of ambition, but out of duty. This moment demands not arrogance but reflection, not complacency but responsibility.”

The PPP chairman also spoke about the country’s path forward, noting that victory brought with it the “burden to build a stronger Pakistan”.

“The burden to ensure that the sacrifices made are honoured not only in words but in action. […] This means investing in our people, education, health, and opportunity. It means strengthening our economy so that no external pressure can dictate our destiny. It means pursuing peace not as a sign of weakness, but as a reflection of strength,” he added.

The former FM asserted that peace must be just, dignified and mutual. Addressing the youth, he said, “This victory belongs to you as much as it does to any institution or any individual. You are the custodians of this nation’s future.”

Marka-i-Haq

Just two days after the Pahalgam attack in occupied Kashmir that killed 26 people, India took a series of aggressive measures against Pakistan, including unilaterally suspending the critical Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).

Pakistan retaliated by suspending all kinds of trade, closing its airspace for Indian flights and shutting down the Wagah border.

Subsequently, New Delhi launched deadly overnight air strikes on Pakistan on May 6-7 over allegations about the Pahalgam attack, which Islamabad denied. In retaliation, Pakistan Air Force downed five Indian jets, later raising the tally to seven.

After tit-for-tat strikes on each other’s airbases, it took American intervention on May 10 for both sides to finally reach a ceasefire.

The period of the conflict was named Marka-i-Haq, with the government declaring that May 10 — the day of the retaliatory Operation Bunyanum Marsoos against India — will be observed every year as “Youm-i-Marka-i-Haq”.