PM Pays Tribute to Pakistan Navy Martyrs, Veterans and Serving Personnel

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has paid rich tribute to the martyrs, veterans and serving personnel of the Pakistan Navy for their invaluable services, courage, sacrifices and devotion to duty in defence of the motherland. In his message on Pakistan Navy Day, observed on September 8, the prime minister extended his warmest felicitations to the officers, sailors, civilian personnel and families of the Pakistan Navy. He said September 8 served as an inspirational reminder of the courage, valour and determination demonstrated by the Pakistan Navy during the 1965 war. The prime minister recalled that on this day, the Pakistan Navy carried out the historic Operation SOMNATH against the Indian Naval Station at Dwarka. Despite facing a larger and heavily armed adversary, Pakistan's warships struck with precision, destroying critical enemy shore installations and establishing psychological ascendancy at sea. He added that the presence of Pakistan's submarine GHAZI in the Indian Ocean further disrupted enemy movements, marking a golden chapter in the history of naval warfare. During Marka-e-Haq in 2025, Shehbaz Sharif said, the Pakistan Navy once again demonstrated the same spirit and operational preparedness, effectively deterring a numerically superior adversary from undertaking any act of aggression at sea. The prime minister observed that in the contemporary strategic environment, the responsibilities of the Pakistan Navy had expanded considerably. 'Pakistan Navy plays a pivotal role in securing our international sea lines of communications and vital trade routes. Given the recent heightened tensions and disruptions in maritime activities through the Strait of Hormuz, Pakistan Navy once again demonstrated its resolve by ensuring uninterrupted movement of Pakistani flagged merchant vessels, especially PoL carriers, in the face of deteriorating regional security,' he said. He said that beyond traditional security responsibilities, the Pakistan Navy was also actively projecting Pakistan's soft power globally. Initiatives such as Exercise AMAN and the AMAN Dialogue, he added, brought the international naval community together under the banner of 'Together for Peace.' The prime minister further said the Pakistan Navy enjoyed strong goodwill in the region through operational and technical engagements, maritime industrial linkages, mutual training exchanges and maritime diplomacy. 'Today, Pakistan Navy stands as a robust and technologically advanced sentinel of our seas, having evolved with the strategic vision of its leadership and an indigenous biased modernization programme,' Shehbaz Sharif said. He said the successful induction of advanced MILGEM-class corvettes, HANGOR-class submarines, diverse aviation assets and indigenously developed cruise and ballistic missiles reflected the Navy's resolve to acquire specialised capabilities to address emerging maritime challenges efficiently and effectively. 'The Government and people of Pakistan have full confidence in the professionalism, discipline and operational readiness of Pakistan Navy. I am confident that Pakistan Navy will continue to uphold its proud traditions and discharge its responsibilities with courage, honour and distinction,' the prime minister said.