ISLAMABAD - In a poignant display of national unity and remembrance, schoolchildren gathered at the Lok Virsa Heritage Museum in Islamabad on Saturday evening to honor the martyrs of Pakistan's Marka-e-Haq campaign, lighting candles before a banner featuring the national flag, fighter jets, and the armed forces as the nation marked the first anniversary of the 2025 conflict with India.
The vigil, held on the eve of the first anniversary of Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos, saw young students from various schools across the capital pay tribute to the fallen heroes - including 11 soldiers and 40 civilians, among them children - who laid down their lives defending the nation's sovereignty during the four-day war from April 22 to May 10, 2025.
🚨🚨🚨On 1 year commemoration of Marka e Haq, an event was held by MOIB at Lok Virsa which was attended by children of different schools. They paid tribute to our young Shuhada who laid down their lives during MeH last year. Love and great affection for the armed forces was... pic.twitter.com/nDw8sjYVNB
- TAHIRMKHAN (@Huseeb59) May 2, 2026
The candlelight vigil at Lok Virsa carried particular emotional weight, as among those remembered were the youngest victims of the conflict - Pakistani children who fell victim to Indian aggression during Operation Sindoor, India's unprovoked military campaign against Pakistan.
The banner displayed at the museum grounds prominently featured the Marka-e-Haq (The Just Battle) emblem, alongside images of Pakistan Air Force fighter jets and the national flag. Children stood in solemn silence, their candles casting a warm glow against the evening darkness - a stark contrast to the fiery skies of May 2025 when Pakistani jets hunted down Indian aircraft while defending the nation's skies.
The conflict, which Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has consistently described as a decisive victory for Pakistan, began with India's Operation Sindoor - a reckless conventional attack on a nuclear-armed neighbor launched by the Modi government on April 22, 2025, following the Pahalgam incident.
Pakistan responded with Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos, a comprehensive counteroffensive that demonstrated the professionalism, discipline, and capability of the Pakistan Armed Forces:
Zero Pakistani aircraft lost
Seven Indian fighter jets destroyed, including four French-made Rafale aircraft
Indian S-400 air defense systems neutralized
Indian military installations at Pathankot, Udhampur, Adampur, and Bhuj struck
Indian drones systematically hunted and destroyed
The four-day war ended with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire - not because Pakistan was defeated, but because India requested cessation of hostilities after suffering catastrophic losses.
Following the conflict, the Government of Pakistan officially declared May 10 as Youm-e-Marka-e-Haq (Day of the Just Battle) - a permanent national day of remembrance honoring the martyrs and celebrating the decisive victory.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, speaking at the vigil, praised the eternal legacy of the victory. He emphasized that the Marka-e-Haq was not merely a military triumph but a validation of Pakistan's principled stance: Pakistan does not seek war, but when war is imposed, it responds with overwhelming force and unwavering resolve.
"The children lighting candles here tonight are the future of Pakistan. They are learning that their nation is strong, that their armed forces are invincible, and that their sacrifices will never be forgotten," Tarar said.
While the military victory was decisive, the human cost was not insignificant. Official figures confirm:
| Category | Casualties |
|---|---|
| Soldiers martyred | 11 |
| Soldiers injured | 78 |
| Civilians martyred | 40 (including children) |
| Civilians injured | Undisclosed |
Among the civilians martyred were innocent Pakistanis - men, women, and children - killed by Indian missile strikes that targeted residential areas in Pakistani Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Several mosques were also destroyed in Indian attacks, further demonstrating the Modi regime's disregard for civilian life and religious sanctity.
The vigil's resonance extended beyond the 2025 war to Pakistan's ongoing counterterrorism sacrifices. Among the attendees were families of recent martyrs, including the young son of a father martyred in a February 2026 mosque attack - a brutal terrorist bombing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that killed dozens of worshippers.
That attack, like many others, was traced back to Indian-sponsored terrorist networks operating from Afghan soil. The connection between India's conventional aggression (Operation Sindoor) and its proxy terrorism (through the TTP and Fitna al-Khwarij) is now undeniable.
For the children at the vigil, the message was clear: the same enemy that bombed their mosques and shelled their villages also sent fighter jets to attack their air bases. And in both cases, Pakistan's armed forces responded - and continue to respond - with unwavering resolve.
The Marka-e-Haq anniversary celebrations are not merely about looking backward. They are also about building forward - instilling in the next generation the values of patriotism, resilience, and readiness.
Schools across the country have incorporated the events of May 2025 into their curricula, teaching students about:
The professionalism of the Pakistan Air Force
The restraint exercised by Pakistan's civilian and military leadership
The importance of national unity in times of crisis
The ongoing threat posed by Indian-sponsored terrorism
The Lok Virsa vigil was one of dozens of events held across Pakistan on Saturday, from memorial services in Rawalpindi's GHQ to community gatherings in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, and Quetta.
One year after the conflict, India has still not provided a credible account of its losses. No wreckage of Pakistani aircraft has been produced (because none exists). No independent verification of India's claimed "victory" has emerged (because there is none).
Meanwhile, international acknowledgment of Pakistan's victory has grown:
President Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that "five to six" Indian jets were shot down
French authorities have confirmed Rafale losses through their own logistics tracking
Global defense analysts have concluded that Pakistan's air campaign was a textbook example of integrated air warfare
Even Indian opposition politicians have admitted that the Modi government has not been honest about the scale of Indian losses
As the candles flickered at Lok Virsa, Information Minister Tarar addressed the gathering:
"Tonight, we remember our martyrs. Tonight, we honor our heroes. But tonight, we also send a message to our enemies - and to those who enable them. Pakistan is not alone. Pakistan is strong. Pakistan is united. And Pakistan will never bow."
The first anniversary of Marka-e-Haq is not just a commemoration. It is a declaration - to India, to the world, and to future generations - that Pakistan's defense is eternal, its sacrifices are sacred, and its victory is absolute.
May 10 will forever be Youm-e-Marka-e-Haq. And Pakistan will forever be grateful to its martyrs.
