The Pakistan Embassy in Washington hosted a grand ceremony to commemorate the first anniversary of Marka-e-Haq — a testament of historical significance to Pakistan’s unity, resilience, and unwavering national resolve.

The ceremony was attended by a large number of participants, including members of the Pakistani-American diaspora, scholars, students, business leaders, embassy officials, and media representatives.

Members of the Pakistani-American community participated enthusiastically, reaffirming their deep love for and commitment to the homeland as well as solidarity with the nation. Patriotic songs and spirited chants of “Pakistan Zindabad” filled the atmosphere, reflecting renewed national pride, unity, and collective resolve.

The ceremony paid rich tribute to the brave men and women of Pakistan’s Armed Forces for safeguarding the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national dignity with exemplary professionalism and courage. The civil and military leadership was also commended for its decisive stewardship during a critical period for the nation.

Messages from the President Zardari and the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif were read out on the occasion, while video messages from the Deputy Prime Minister and the Defence Minister reiterated Pakistan’s steadfast commitment to defending the homeland at all costs. 

Defence Attache Brigadier Irfan Ali read out the message from the Chief of Defence Forces/Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.

Addressing the gathering, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, highlighted the significance of Marka-e-Haq and the collective resolve demonstrated by the Pakistani nation. He emphasised that Pakistan’s strategic importance, resilience, and role in promoting regional and global peace continued to gain strength.

“Our unity is our strength, and it was displayed during the conflict in May 2025. The nation stood shoulder to shoulder with its leadership and the valiant armed forces in defeating the sinister designs of the enemy,” the Ambassador remarked.

The ambassador noted that the victory against provocation was a collective triumph led by the country’s civil-military and diplomatic leadership. He underscored that while Pakistan remained committed to regional and global peace, the desire should never be mistaken for weakness.

He appreciated the positive role played by the US President Donald Trump in supporting ceasefire efforts between the two nuclear powers.

Looking toward the future, the ambassador linked national defence with economic sovereignty, stating that the concept of Bunyan-um-Marsoos would be fully realised in the non-kinetic domain once Pakistan achieved economic stability and prosperity. 

He urged the Pakistani American diaspora to step in and step up their vital role geared to strengthening the bilateral relationship between Pakistan and the United States.

The evening featured a documentary chronicling the nation’s defence efforts and live performances of national songs, adding further spirit to the evening, with audiences passionately chanting slogans of “Pakistan Hamesha Zindabad.”

The ceremony concluded with a renewed national pledge for unity, progress and collective responsibility toward building a stronger and more prosperous Pakistan.

Of his friend Martin Short, Tom Hanks once said, “Marty operates at the speed of joy.” Is that true? “You know, I don’t analyze myself,” said Short. “If that’s his review for me, I’ll accept it. But I think I do have the happy gene. And I think my orientation is to be happy.”

For more than 50 years, he’s been a bright spot on any stage or screen, with that crazy energy and that singular smile. And when you know what Martin Short has endured in private, his sunny attitude is all the more astonishing. 

He’s now the subject of a new documentary film out this week. “Marty: Life Is Short” was directed by Hollywood legend and family friend Lawrence Kasdan, who said Short needed to be prodded a bit to do it. “It was not a natural instinct of his to want it; he’s not like that,” Kasdan said. “I had to sell him on it. I had to lie to him, tell him how much I loved him and I would never hurt him.” Kasdan also used hours of home movies with Short’s pals, like Hanks, Kurt Russell and Steven Spielberg.

But with all of the good times, it seems Short had more than his share of bad. The youngest of five, Martin was 12 when his older brother was killed in a car accident, and he was still in his teens when both of his parents died.

Asked what that taught him about grief and loss, Short said, “What it developed in me was this muscle of survival and handling grief and a perspective on it.”

He said it also gave him a bravery to put himself out on stage: “I think if you’ve gone through that, an audience not liking you is really not that important anymore.”

In 1977, that fearlessness led to him to Toronto’s Second City, joining other legends-in-training like Eugene Levy, John Candy, and Catherine O’Hara, who died in January. The documentary is dedicated to her.

“There was no one more brilliant,” Short said of O’Hara. “There was no one sweeter. And there was no one funnier. And she, more than anyone on ‘SCTV,’ would sit behind the camera and give you suggestions. ‘Marty, try that.’ ‘Oh, okay.’ And then you always just did it.”

The film, like life itself, can be hilarious and heartbreaking at the same time.

Nancy Dolman, Short’s wife of 30 years, who first captured his heart back in his Toronto days, died of ovarian cancer in 2010. “She was funny. She had lots of edge,” he said. “It was an equal ping pong match. … although Tom Hanks would go up to Nancy, ‘Aren’t you tired of laughing at his jokes?'”

The film is also dedicated to one of their three children, daughter Katherine, a social worker who died by suicide this past February at age 42. 

“It’s been a nightmare for the family,” Short said. “But the understanding [is] that mental health and cancer, like my wife’s, are both diseases, and sometimes with diseases they are terminal. And my daughter fought for a long time with extreme mental health, borderline personality disorder, other things, and did the best she couldn’t until she couldn’t.

“So, Nan’s last words to me were, ‘Martin, let me go.’ And what she was just saying [was], ‘Dad, let me go.'”

Short has lived in Pacific Palisades, California, since the late 1980s. “I bought this in November of ’87,” he said. “It was based on two movies that I was gonna make. And the second I signed the mortgage, one movie fell through. And I said to Nancy, ‘What do we do? We can’t afford this.’ And she said, ‘Then we’d move?'”

Short’s home was spared from last year’s fires; his son’s home was not.  And the losses of this year can seem overwhelming. “My son Oliver and his wife are temporarily living in Newport Beach, because their house burned down,” Short said. “And I must say, when I was getting in the car that day and I was thinking, ‘Okay. I’m 75. Why am I continuing? Like, really why? I’m not gonna crash my car, but why? What is the point of this?’ And then I got to Newport, and these two grandsons, five and four, just jump, ‘Papa! Let’s play giant!’ And suddenly you go, ‘Oh, that’s why. That’s why. Okay.'”

He’ll soon be shooting another season of the hit show “Only Murders In the Building,” and there are some other things in the works, including a possible collaboration with Meryl Streep on Broadway. “We are trying to figure out something; we’re just not sure if the box office would be there,” he joked. “It’s a gamble. You never know how Meryl’s gonna do at the box office, but let’s hope!”

In the documentary, Ron Howard asks Short, “Why do you continue to push yourself?” To which Short replied, “I just think it’s important, if you’re ‘gifted,’ to share that gift, of course, with people!”

He may joke about it, but it is a gift. Somehow, Martin Short keeps everyone laughing, trying to find joy even in moments when it’s hard to see anything but pain.

He recalled that, when his wife got sick, she wanted him to keep working: “I didn’t work as much,” he said. “But I remember I was doing ‘Damages’ at the time. This was the last five months, but I went for a month to shoot, and I remember getting to set, and no one knew. And Glenn [Close] would go, ‘Marty’s here, yay!!” And I’d go, ‘Okay. Let me just go to the dressing room for a second [and compose myself]. …  Okay, then.’ You know, that’s what you have to do.”

Asked if it helped him to get out and do that, he replied, “I don’t know if it helped. You know, it didn’t help, but you had to do it, you know? I mean, people have to do things in difficult times. And the mark of the man is: Can you do it?“

So, what does he tell himself to get through that? “Well, it’s something that, I’ve just been in that situation many times,” he replied. “You head for the light.”

WEB EXCLUSIVE: Watch an extended interview with Martin Short (Video)

To watch a trailer for the documentary “Marty: Life Is Short” click on the video player below:

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Story produced by John D’Amelio. Editor: Ed Givnish.

If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or a suicidal crisis, you can reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. You can also chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline here.

For more information about mental health care resources and support, The National Alliance on Mental Illness HelpLine can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.–10 p.m. ET, at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or email info@nami.org.

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A special ceremony marking the first anniversary of the Marka-e-Haq victory is being held at the Pakistan Monument in Islamabad, with the country’s top civil and military leadership attending the event.

Participants of the event include President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Asim Munir, among others.

Pakistan Air Force aircraft will perform an air show, while a laser show will also be held during the event being held at Shakarparian.

The event is part of the days-long celebrations being held across the country, marking Pakistan’s decisive victory over India in May last year.

On May 6-7 last year, India launched an unprovoked attack on Pakistan, following an attack on tourists in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistan, during the 87-hour conflict, downed eight Indian fighter jets, including French-made Rafale, and dozens of drones. The war between the two nuclear-armed nations ended on May 10 with a ceasefire agreement brokered by the US.

This is a developing story and is being updated with further details.