Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa says Pakistan is a peace loving country but it will respond befittingly if war is imposed on it.

Addressing the main ceremony in connection with Defence and Martyrs Day at GHQ in Rawalpindi, he said Pakistan demonstrated this in response to the botched attack on Balakot.

The Army Chief said we are ready to respond immediately and with full force to any action of the enemy.

He said Pakistan has gone through a great ordeal in the last twenty years and faced wars on eastern and western borders.

General Qamar Jawed Bajwa said we fought a nerve-wracking war against terrorism and extremism in which thousands were martyred and millions were displaced.

He said India by illegally abrogating the special status of Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir has once again threatened the peace of the region.

He said there is no doubt that Kashmir is a recognized dispute and Pakistan does not accept any unilateral decision in this regard.

On the occasion, the Army Chief conferred military awards to army personnel for acts of gallantry during various operations.

In all, 40 officers were awarded Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Military), 24 officers and soldiers Tamgha-e-Bisalat and a soldier was awarded United Nations Medal.

Medals of Shuhada were received by their family members.