RAWALPINDI – General Headquarters (GHQ) witnessed a gathering of Pakistan’s top military leadership for grand ceremony marking the first anniversary of “Marka-e-Haq”, Pakistan’s epic response during last year’s military escalation with India.
The high-profile event is being led by Chief of Defence Forces and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, with senior commanders and top defence officials in attendance.
The ceremony commemorates the 19-day military standoff between Pakistan and India that unfolded between April 22 and May 10, 2025, a period marked by rapidly escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
Pakistani forces responded with sheer display of valour after India launched what Islamabad termed an “unprovoked strike” during the night of May 6-7, after staged attack on Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
What followed, officials say, was a fast-moving escalation into an 87-hour high-intensity military confrontation involving aerial operations, border deployments, and widespread drone activity — a scenario that triggered serious international concern over the risk of a broader war.
During the conflict, Pakistan maintains that its armed forces achieved significant battlefield success, including the downing of eight Indian aircraft, among them advanced Rafale fighter jets — as well as the interception and destruction of multiple drones.
The standoff quickly became one of the most closely watched military escalations in South Asia, with both sides engaged in sustained operational activity alongside sharp diplomatic exchanges.
After days of heightened tensions and growing international concern, the situation de-escalated on May 10 following a ceasefire agreement reportedly facilitated through United States diplomatic intervention.
The agreement brought an end to the 19-day confrontation, though both sides continued to frame the events in sharply different political and strategic narratives.
Since then, Pakistani officials have consistently portrayed Marka-e-Haq as a symbol of military preparedness, national unity, and strategic strength, highlighting it as a moment that reinforced confidence in the country’s defence capabilities.
The anniversary ceremony at GHQ is being seen as a powerful display of military solidarity and institutional confidence, with tributes expected for personnel who participated in the confrontation.
As proceedings continue in Rawalpindi, further details are expected to emerge from the high-command gathering.
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