Islamabad: Pakistan has announced the creation of a new force - the Army Rocket Force Command - equipped with modern technology and intended to serve as a "milestone" in strengthening its combat capabilities.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif made the announcement at an event late Wednesday night to mark the 79th Independence Day and commemorate the recent four-day military confrontation with India.
"On this occasion, today, I announce the formation of the Army Rocket Force Command,” Prime Minister Sharif said at the event attended by President Asif Ali Zardari, the three services chiefs, and national and foreign dignitaries.
"Equipped with modern technology and capable of targeting the enemy from every direction, this force will prove another milestone in further strengthening our conventional war capabilities,” he said.
He, however, provided no further details about the new force or its responsibilities.
Pakistan's new force command is apparently inspired by its all-weather ally China’s People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force, which controls arsenal of land-based ballistic, hypersonic, cruise missiles - both nuclear and conventional.
Sharif's announcement came days after Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir's nuclear threat against India from US soil and former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's remarks that if India forces Pakistan into war, the nation will not back down.
The prime minister termed the military confrontation between Pakistan and India in May as a "major victory" and credited the country's nuclear capability as a strategic necessity in response to India’s atomic power.
He claimed that “in just four days, India’s arrogance was shattered..."
He extended gratitude to US President Donald Trump for what he called "facilitating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan", and underscored that the Kashmir issue should be resolved in accordance with UN resolutions.
India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians.
India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the conflict after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes.
India has been consistently maintaining that the understanding on cessation of hostilities with Pakistan was reached following direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two militaries.
A month after the conflict, Pakistan increased its defence budget by 20 per cent for the fiscal year 2025-2026 to bolster its military capabilities.
In his address, Prime Minister Sharif also expressed gratitude to friendly countries — including China, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Azerbaijan, the UAE, and Iran — for supporting Pakistan's stance during the conflict with India.
Sharif also urged all political parties, stakeholders, and civil society to unite in safeguarding national interests.
He said the proposed charter was not merely an economic revival plan but a framework based on broader national interest.
Sharif also said that Pakistan had made "unmatched sacrifices" in the war against terrorism, with 90,000 lives lost and over USD 150 billion in economic losses.
Highlighting the economic success of his government, he said that inflation had fallen from 34% to 5% and the interest rate from 21% to 11%.