Islamabad:

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday said that his country desired peace with all neighbours, asserting that progress and peace are “intertwined”.

Sharif made the remarks while addressing Defence and Martyrs Day here.

He said Pakistan wants peaceful relations with all its neighbours but added that the country would not compromise its freedom and independence.

“Pakistan has no intention of aggression against any country…It has played a role in peace and stability in the region,” he said.

“Peace is our first desire” as progress and peace are “intertwined”, he said.

The ceremony was attended by the army’s top brass, senior military and governmental officials, and families of soldiers, among others.

Army chief General Asim Munir, in his address, said the country would “not allow political differences to turn into hatred”.

He asserted that the strong relations between the army and the public would act as the foundation to defeat any enemy trying to create rifts between the two.

“The relation between the armed forces and the nation is of heart,” he said, adding that the nation always strengthened the army in all fields including, “rescue works in the events of natural disasters, foreign hostilities or war against terrorism.” Speaking about the Kashmir issue, Munir said it was not just a national issue but one of regional and global significance.

In a message, President Asif Ali Zardari also paid tribute to the sacrifices of soldiers. He reaffirmed the nation’s commitment to defend its sovereignty and supported the Armed Forces in their readiness to respond to threats.

Separately, the Pakistan Navy inducted two newly built warships, PNS Babur and PNS Hunain, in the Pakistan Navy fleet in Karachi on Defence Day.

Addressing the induction ceremony, Zardari said the inclusion of new warships will significantly increase the country’s maritime security.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)