Naval chief recalls ‘Op. SOMNATH’ on Navy Day, says legacy of courage continues as reflected in Marka-e-Haq

Naval Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf on Tuesday recalled Operation Somnath on Navy Day, saying the spirit of resilience and courage behind the historic operation continued to endure, as reflected once again during Marka-e-Haq with India, the military’s media wing said.

According to the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), in his message on the occasion, the naval chief said the historic Operation Somnath showed how a determined maritime force could achieve decisive results despite limited numbers and resources.

“The legacy of courage and conviction established during Operation Somnath continues to endure, as reflected once again in Pakistan Navy’s successful deterrence against the Indian Navy during Marka-e-Haq,” he said.

The statement said that the Pakistan Navy commemorated the day, paying tribute to the courage and sacrifices of naval personnel during the 1965 War and honouring the legacy of service carried forward by generations of sailors in defence of the country,

It added that the day’s commemorations began with Quranic recitations and special prayers for those who lost their lives in service of the country.

Admiral Ashraf laid a floral wreath at the Shuhada Monument at Naval Headquarters in Islamabad and met families of the fallen personnel, acknowledging their sacrifices and resilience.

Read More: Nation observes Defence and Martyrs Day

Earlier, President Asif Ali Zardari paid tribute to the officers, sailors and civilian personnel of the Pakistan Navy, commemorating the force’s “determination, courage and professional excellence” over the decades.

In a special message issued to mark the day, President Zardari recalled the Navy’s “daring” Operation Somnath, carried out against the Indian naval coastal station at Dwarka on the night of September 7/8, 1965.

He described the operation as a defining moment that “laid the foundations of a formidable force” and demonstrated the bravery and tenacity that continue to define the Pakistan Navy today.

The president noted that this same spirit had been carried forward into more recent operations. He specifically cited the Navy’s role during Marka-e-Haq in May 2025, when the force helped safeguard Pakistan’s maritime interests by maintaining operational readiness and forward deployments that kept a numerically larger Indian Navy from threatening the country’s maritime security.

He also referenced Operation Muhafiz-ul-Bahr, launched amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East, through which the Navy worked to protect Pakistan’s energy security and economic lifelines by ensuring the continued flow of sea-borne energy supplies.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also paid tributes to the martyrs, veterans and serving Pakistan Navy personnel who had rendered invaluable services and continued to do so, with their courage, sacrifices and devotion to duty in the defence of our motherland.

The premier extended his warmest felicitations to the officers, sailors and civilians of the Pakistan Navy and their families.

He said September 8 served as an inspirational reminder of the nerve, valour and grit demonstrated by the Pakistan Navy during the 1965 war.

“It was on this day that the Pakistan Navy executed the legendary Operation Somnath on the Indian Naval Station, Dwarka. Against a heavily armed and larger adversary, our warships struck with absolute precision and destroyed critical shore installations of the enemy and established psychological ascendancy at sea.

“The presence of our submarine ‘GHAZI’ in the Indian Ocean further paralysed the enemy movements, etching a golden chapter in the history of naval warfare,” he added.

During Marka-e-Haq in 2025, the prime minister said Pakistan Navy demonstrated the same spirit and operational preparedness that deterred a numerically superior enemy from undertaking any act of aggression at sea.

In the contemporary strategic landscape, he observed that the responsibilities of the Navy had grown manifold.

“Pakistan Navy plays a pivotal role in securing our international sea lines of communication and vital trade routes. Given the recent heightened tensions and disruptions in maritime activities through the Strait of Hormuz, Pakistan Navy once again demonstrated its resolve by ensuring uninterrupted movement of Pakistani-flagged merchant vessels, especially PoL carriers, in the face of deteriorating regional security,” PM Shehbaz said.