KARACHI: Chairman of Senate Mian Raza Rabbani said on Sunday that instead of asking Pakistan to “do more” in the campaign against terrorism, the US should take notice of Indian aggression and use its influence to prevent India from imposing a war on Pakistan.

“The Pakistan Army has always played its due role assigned to them under the Constitution... and the nation has always stood by the armed forces, whether it was the 1965 war or the ongoing fight against terrorism,” he said.

Also read-editorial: The ‘do more’ mantra — again

He was addressing a ceremony organised by the Sindh government at the Chief Minister House in connection with the golden jubilee anniversary of the 1965 war. The function was attended by provincial ministers, Director General of Rangers Maj Gen Bilal Akbar, legislators, businessmen and civil society representatives.

The Senate chairman said tensions had mounted along the Line of Control and Working Boundary where innocent Paki­stanis were being killed by Indian forces.

In an apparent reference to US National Security Adviser Susan Rice’s visit to Islamabad, he said a US official had recently visited Pakistan and raised the demand of “do more”. Instead she should have visited Sialkot to witness the aggression of the Indian army.

“It was not the first incident of US betrayal as we have witnessed your (US) betrayal in the past also. We were waiting for your (US) fleet (during the 1971 war) which never turned up,” the Senate Chairman said.

“The role once played by Shah of Iran in the region is being assigned to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi but Pakistan is not prepared to accept India’s supremacy in the region,” he added.

He also criticised the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation for its silence on Indian aggression. “Our people take to the streets when something wrong happens in a Muslim country but not a single Muslim country has raised a voice against Indian shelling,” he said.

Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah said the army won the 1965 war and it was now engaged in a war against terrorism. The army would win this war too because, like in 1965, it had the unflinching support of the nation.

He said that Pakistani army was considered as one of the best armies in the world. “We are proud of our armed forces. We cannot forget the sacrifices our soldiers have rendered to save the country.”

Mr Shah said that Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had strengthened the defence of the country by equipping it with nuclear weapons and the Benazir Bhutto-led government had developed the missile technology.

Talking about the campaign against terrorism, the chief minister praised Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif for his courage and timely response.

“He moved the armed forces to the epicentre of terrorism (Northern Waziristan) and launched a vigorous operation which has produced encouraging results,” he said and added that terrorist activities had declined by 80 per cent in Karachi. Air Vice Marshal Salman Ahsan Bukhari said the spirit of Pakistan Air Force pilots he had witnessed in 1965 had thrived to this day. “In 1965 we had limited resources even then we destroyed the Indian forces,” he said and added that the inclusion of JF-17 aircraft in its fleet had further strengthened the PAF.

Vice Admiral Syed Arifullah Hussaini said: “Today we are not celebrating the war but the national morale which was high in 1965 and has reached its zenith in the war against terror.”

He said the national economy was being destroyed under the tactics of modern warfare. “We have to unite against this conspiracy. Destruction of economy means destruction of the nation; therefore we have to carefully work and restore peace to boost the economy.”

The ceremony concluded with patriotic songs presented by leading singers of the country.

Published in Dawn, September 7th, 2015

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