Anyone aiming to hurt army-people bond not a 'friend' of Pakistan: PM.

ISLAMABAD: Anyone intending to hurt the bond between the country's armed forces and its people is not a friend of Pakistan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in his message on Defence Day.

As Pakistan grapples with the historic floods and other challenges, we need to summon the spirit of 1965, PM Shehbaz said. "National unity is our greatest strength. Let us fortify this bond of One Nation," he wrote on Twitter. The PM also said that it is a matter of great pride that the valiant armed forces and the brave Pakistani nation have carried forward the proud legacy of the 1965 war by successfully "defeating the monsters of terrorism and extremism in their two-decade-old struggle".

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday laid a wreath at the Martyrs Monument at Shakarparian to pay tribute to the heroes of 1965 war with India. The prime minister also offered Fateha for the souls of martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the sovereignty of the homeland.

Speaking to media on the occasion, he said 57 years ago, the country's armed forces had thwarted the designs of an enemy four times bigger than it.

He paid tribute to the martyrs including Maj Aziz Bhatti, Major Shabbir Sharif, Squadron Leader Sarfaraz Rafiqui, Major Muhammad Ziauddin Uppal and several others who laid their lives in the line to defend the motherland against the Indian aggression. Shehbaz said as the country grappled with floods, the entire nation was united to brave the challenges with the spirit of 1965 war. He termed the floods as an unprecedented catastrophe in the country's history and added that the citizens and armed forces were united in coping with the problem. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said as nation marked the Defence Day, the similar spirit of sacrifice and resilience was required to cope with the current grave challenges in the wake of floods.

In his initial remarks while chairing the meeting of the federal cabinet, he said as the...