New Delhi: In the course of the night time, as 1000’s of residents discovered themselves stranded on roads across the capital, the Pakistani authorities and generals moved forward with a quite grand Independence Day celebration: the inauguration of a monument commemorating what the federal government describes as its “splendid victory” over India through the Might 2025 navy skirmish.
The Yadgar-i-Fatah, or Victory Memorial, was inaugurated in Islamabad by President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. It was a ceremony to honour Pakistan’s troopers and commemorate Marka-e-Haq (Battle of Reality). In India, it’s known as Operation Sindoor, a four-day navy confrontation between the 2 nations after the 2025 Pahalgam terror assault.
The ceremony was attended by the nation’s political, navy and judicial institution: President Asif Ali Zardari; Chairman Senate Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani; Speaker Nationwide Meeting Sardar Ayaz Sadiq; Deputy Prime Minister and Overseas Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar; Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi; Chief of Military Employees and Chief of Defence Forces Subject Marshal Syed Asim Munir; Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu; Chief of the Naval Employees Admiral Naveed Ashraf; federal ministers; provincial political management; parliamentarians; diplomats; and officers of the armed forces.
The symbolism was tough to overlook. The PM described the monument as a logo of Pakistan’s resolve and willpower and praised Subject Marshal Syed Asim Munir for his management. Pakistan’s “outstanding triumph” in Marka-e-Haq, Sharif stated, had enhanced the nation’s status. A particular light-and-sound present adopted, projecting pictures of necessary chapters in Pakistan’s historical past and navy journey onto the monument, together with occasions related to Marka-e-Haq.
At midnight, President Asif Ali Zardari hoisted the nationwide flag at Yadgar-i-Fatah because the nationwide anthem performed.
Subject Marshal Syed Asim Munir additionally offered particular Yadgar-i-Fatah souvenirs to President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. After which there was the opposite facet of the celebration.
Not everybody was blissful.
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Celebration of independence
As Pakistan’s management gathered for the midnight ceremony, 1000’s of bizarre residents have been left stranded on Islamabad’s roads, turning the capital into one thing resembling an Independence Day site visitors experiment no person had volunteered to take part in.
“Whereas the rulers relished the brand new monument, actually tens of 1000’s of “sheep, slaves” have been stranded on Murree Highway, elements of Islamabad Freeway, residents of I-8 actually underneath curfew for hours, Pakistani writer Imtiaz Gul wrote on X.
“Simply take a look on the roads of isb what basic public is going through on the independence day,” X consumer Arslan Raza wrote.
Pakistan Reuters journalist Asif Shahzad shared a Google picture of a very choked Islamabad with the caption– “What sort of Independence is that this that you must cordon the town to rejoice?”
He then sarcastically answered his personal query: “For the sake of dwelling, endure 100 pains—house is, in spite of everything, your individual.”
Farhan Farooq Haider known as Yadgar-i-Fatah a grave: “Makbraaa bana dia”
One other consumer, @masatmithizaat, provided a broader historic argument: “Yearly reminder: Pakistan was born out of a political battle by a political get together. The navy didn’t take part in it, and the officer corps vehemently opposed it. This can be a nation created by the vote of residents, let no boot-wearing fauji let you know in any other case.”
Then the identical Indian narratives that Pakistan goals to counter made a comeback as one offended Pakistan X consumer requested— “When will the cockroaches of Pakistan come out?”
“This is similar tragedy of unusual nations that continues even at present. When will these cockroaches come out or be introduced out— nothing is thought,” X consumer Naeem Gul added.
Then got here the complaints about politics, the navy, and who was not invited to the ceremony.
The one CM who may very well be seen on the occasion and on dwell TV was Maryam Nawaz. Pakistanis are asking, ‘What’s behind this ‘undue raise’ to her?’
“Why solely Mariam Safdar invited on this programme different provinces chief ministers are enemies of the Subject Marshal. I hate him due to his undue raise to Mariam Safdar,” X consumer Guch49 wrote.
The ceremony additionally equipped loads of materials for Pakistan’s on-line satirists. Pehn Di Siri shared an image of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the Saudi crown prince blowing toy trumpets and wrote: “Saudi Arabia and Turkey on Pakistan’s Independence Day”
Former Daybreak editor, Cyril Almeida, additionally gave a suggestion: “CCD may earn loads of goodwill… if it took out the bajas tonight…”
CCD stands for the Crime Management Division, a specialised and controversial police investigation unit of the Punjab Police. Established in early 2025 by the Punjab authorities underneath Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, the unit was created to sort out high-profile organised crime, gangs and critical offences within the province.
Then got here maybe essentially the most ironic second of your complete celebration.
In his speech, President Asif Ali Zardari shared how US President Donald Trump known as Munir his ‘favorite Subject Marshal’.
“The American President, taking the identify of Syed Asim Munir 90 instances, stated that He’s my finest Subject Marshal. Asim Munir isn’t his Subject Marshal; he’s our Subject Marshal,” he added.
The road prompted smiles and applause from the stage. Within the video, upon listening to this, Munir, together with Sharif, appeared to burst right into a smile, after which joined the applause.
The president’s ‘ego-massaging’ of the nation’s navy head didn’t go down effectively with many. “There was a time when both PPP or PMLN would struggle in opposition to the institution, together with one with the assist of firm however at present each share the shade of safety and blessings of energy from GHQ. Pakistan politics isn’t at a turmoil quite at a standstill,” X consumer Majid Tamoor wrote on X.
One other X consumer, Ahmad Hassan Bobak, put the criticism much more bluntly: “This isn’t a celebration of freedom however quite the king has adorned the court docket to curry favor with the heirs !!”
(Edited by Ratan Priya)
