Entertainment
Civil, military leaders celebrate Independence Day, hail ‘Marka-e-Haq’ victory in unity call
- Independence Day tied to recent military victory.
- PM calls for unity in ‘spirit of 1947’.
- Zardari urges reform, economic revival.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s civil and military leadership marked the country’s 78th Independence Day with messages of renewed unity, resilience, and commitment to defending sovereignty, tying this year’s celebrations to the military success in Marka-e-Haq — the period of conflict with India from the April 22 Pahalgam attack to the May 10 conclusion of operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos.
The leaders paid tribute to the sacrifices of the nation’s founders and martyrs, emphasising that the this year’s April–May confrontation with India had reinforced the sanctity of Pakistan’s freedom and the resolve to safeguard it.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif extended his sincere invitation to all political parties and segments of the society to join hands with them in strengthening their resolve to safeguard the national interests.
“On this day, I call upon all political forces and citizens to unite in the spirit of 1947 and together build a strong and prosperous Pakistan for generations to come,” the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
“I extend my heartfelt felicitations to the nation on completion of 78 years of independence of Pakistan. I pay tribute to Father of the Nation, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and the Thinker of Pakistan, Allama Muhammad Iqbal, who along with other resolute leaders and workers of the Independence Movement united the nation under one vision, one mission and one goal,” the premier said.
“The past 78 years tell a tale of resilience, strong faith and a hope of a bright future when as a nation, we braved several difficult challenges,” he said, linking the country’s endurance to its military success earlier this year.
“Pakistan’s historic victory in Marka-e-Haq during the four-day war imposed by India has not only reinforced the sanctity of our freedom, but has also instilled a renewed sense of ambition and national spirit in the hearts of our people, magnifying the pride and fervour of this Independence Day.”
He praised the armed forces for reviving “their past glory and shattered the false pride of enemy by acting as a Bunyan-um-Marsoos – a solid fortified wall” and paid tribute to martyrs “who sacrificed their lives for the sake of our freedom”.
Calling it “not merely a military conquest, but also the victory of the validation of a Two-Nation Theory,” the PM vowed to “stand vigilant to defend and safeguard our national interests including water resources.”
While asserting Pakistan’s belief in “peaceful coexistence and resolving the regional and global issues through dialogue and diplomacy,” he urged India to “demonstrate the same will for the resolution of all disputes, including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.”
The premier also stressed the importance of economic stability for national defence, citing “the substantial reduction in electricity tariffs” and pledging to “mobilise all available resources” to meet economic, industrial, and technological challenges. “We all need to demonstrate the spirit of Marka-e-Haq and the Pakistan Movement,” he said.
President Asif Ali Zardari
President Asif Ali zardari said: “Let us rise beyond our divisions and stand together for a Pakistan that is built on justice, equality, faith, and service to all.”
The president linked the celebrations to the recent conflict, saying the nation marked the day “with a sense of renewed pride and hope as recently the nation had reaffirmed its strength, resolve, and unity in the face of external aggression.”
“Our success in Marka-e-Haq and Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos is a landmark moment in our history. It was a demonstration of unshakable national will, professional excellence, and united purpose,” he said.
“Faced with unjustified Indian aggression, Pakistan responded with clarity, courage and restraint. The world witnessed a nation that was peace-loving, but fully capable of defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the president added.
Calling it “more than military success,” Zardari said it was “a reminder of what we can achieve when we are united, focused, and committed to a common goal” and urged the nation to “channel this spirit into our economic revival, educational reform, technological advancement, institutional development, and environmental resilience.”
He also expressed solidarity with the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), adding their courage and struggle for justice and their right to self-determination remained close to their hearts.
He further reiterated that Pakistan would continue to extend its unwavering diplomatic, moral, and political support until their right to self-determination is realized.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar
“On our 79th Independence Day, I extend my heartfelt felicitations to the nation. I pay tribute to the immortal sacrifices made by our forebears, affirming that Pakistan was born out of their indomitable spirit and devotion to truth. I reaffirm that our nation cannot be defeated as long as we stand united,” Dar said.
“I call on every fellow citizen to remain united, protect democratic values, and collectively contribute to building a strong, dignified, and prosperous Pakistan — for today and times to come,” he added.
He lauded the “resolve of our Armed Forces and our people who stood together to safeguard our sovereignty,” saying it reflected “formidable military readiness” and “a principled foreign policy that has earned widespread international support.”
“As we celebrate our independence day and Marka-e-Haq, we are reminded that freedom is preserved not only by defending our borders but also by upholding the principles of truth, justice, and dignity in our international engagements,” he added.
Military leadership
In a joint message, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Admiral Naveed Ashraf, and Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu extended “heartfelt felicitations… on the auspicious occasion of Pakistan’s 78th Independence Day—marking the triumph of unity, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to a shared vision for a brighter future.”
They reaffirmed “unwavering resolve to safeguard Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, uphold the Constitution, and protect the values that define our national identity,” paying “solemn tribute to the visionaries, statesmen, and soldiers who laid our nation’s foundations.”
“The unbreakable bond between the Armed Forces and the people is the cornerstone of our collective strength,” the message said, urging all to “renew our resolve to strive for peace, progress, and unity, upholding the ideals of Faith, Unity, and Discipline.”
Saturday Night Live veteran Tina Fey reflected on her years at the NBC sketch institution, acknowledging that some of her jokes were “on the wrong side”.
Speaking at the History Talks event in Philadelphia, Fey said she’s realized with time that not every punchline was fair.
The two times Globe Globe winner added candidly, “I was pretty dumb.”
Fey joined SNL in 1997 and later became head writer.
She recalled navigating some of the show’s most difficult broadcasts, from the first episode after September 11 to the anthrax scare and even President George W. Bush’s visit to meet Will Ferrell.
Over time, she said, the line between comedy and current events grew thinner, with politicians and public figures often responding directly to the sketches.
One of her most memorable stretches came in 2008, when she teamed with Seth Meyers and Amy Poehler to craft the now iconic Sarah Palin sketches.
Fey explained that the team worked hard to make sure their material was “a fair hit,” grounded in truth rather than random exaggeration.
“If it’s not true, it will not be funny,” she noted.
Reflecting on the influence of SNL, Fey said it was both thrilling and intimidating to know that what she wrote could be taken seriously by people in power.
She emphasized that the show never set out to control politics or the national narrative, but admitted that some of her own jokes didn’t age well.
Fey appeared alongside Nicole Kidman, Ted Danson, Kate McKinnon, Colin Jost and others at the event, which marked the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle appeared to completed a successful four-day tour to Down Under, as they received a warm welcome from the Aussies.
The optics of the visit worked in the Sussexes’s favour, having plenty of similarities to an official royal tour. However, there was one particular item on their to-do list which they were not able to accomplish after facing a major rejection.
The Irwin family is hugely popular in Australia and especially with Robert Irwin’s work and amplified fame after winning Dancing with the Stars, they hold a special prestige in the country. So much so, Prince William has made Robert one of the ambassadors of the Earthshot Prize, a deeply personal and important initiative William had taken over five years ago.
Hence, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were hoping to get a meeting with the Irwins especially the celebrity conservationist at Australia Zoo in Queensland. However, it was not possible during the four-day trip, per New Idea magazine.
The source revealed that there is “no ill-will” towards the Sussexes from the Irwins and cited that it “wasn’t possible”. Although, it is key to note that they are all “staunch monarchists and fiercely loyal to The Firm”.
“Aligning with the Irwins’ worthy causes is something that Meghan and Harry could be on board with,” the source said. But, it seems that Robert may have played it safe as he did not want to upset William.
David Gross has won the Special Breakthrough Prize for Fundamental Physics with a whopping $3 million prize, as announced by the Breakthrough Prize Foundation on April 18, 2026.
The prize honors scientists whose discoveries have contributed significant advancement to the development of human knowledge.
The Breakthrough Prizes—commonly known as the ’Oscars of Science’—were established in 2012 to celebrate the wonders of the 21st century scientific age.
David Gross, who is a Nobel Prize laureate in Physics (2004), served as director at the Kavli Institute of Theoretical Physics at University of California, Santa Barbara for three decades.
What earned Gross winning Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics?
In the early 1970s, there was a wide gap in quantum field theory, as it could not define the strong nuclear force, which holds the atom’s nucleus together.
But in 1973, Gross and his graduate student Frank Wilczek cracked the mystery.
They discovered that the strong force works the opposite way to familiar forces like gravity: it gets weaker as particles approach each other, but stronger as they move apart.
That discovery led to the development of quantum chromodynamics.
After taking home the Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics, he drops a shocking prediction for humanity in an interview with LiveScience.
Gross, when asked if humanity will ever get to a place where we get rid of nuclear weapons.
Gross predicted, “We’re not recommending that. That’s idealistic, but yet, I hope so. Because if you don’t, there’s always some risk an AI 100 years from now, but chances of (humanity) living, with this estimate, 100 years, is very small, and living 200 years is infinitesimal.”
Gross became one of this year’s six awardees for his contributions to theoretical physics, earning the Special Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics.
David Gross has remained an authority in fundamental physics for six decades.
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