ON 14 AUGUST, Islamabad hosted a grand parade to commemorate Pakistan’s 80th Independence Day. Thousands came out to watch the floats and mascots showcasing the country’s four provinces, the displays by the federal constabulary and police contingents, as well as musical performances, puppet shows and fireworks. In 2025, when the occasion fell only a few months after Pakistan’s latest exchange of armed hostilities with India, special festivities were planned across the country as both the civilian government and the military leadership hailed Pakistan’s “victory” (though India claimed victory in the conflict as well). The Nation reported that “from Islamabad to Lahore, Peshawar, and beyond, government and private buildings are draped in national flags, buntings, and vibrant lights.” The conflict had infused such nationalistic sentiment that flag sales went up significantly before Independence Day.
In recent years, Independence Day celebrations across Pakistan have become bigger and grander as part of a push to infuse greater patriotic fervour in the public. Much of the extra emphasis on celebrating Pakistan’s independence has come from Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media and public-relations wing of the armed forces. As part of this, every year, it releases a patriotic song for Independence Day with themes of nationalism and unity. This year, it chose a Balochi song, Pak Ay Watan, about unity and Pakistani identity – even as a protracted insurgency in Balochistan continues to battle Pakistan’s rule.
The Pakistan Army is unlike the army of any other country, particularly in the array of burdens it has taken upon itself. With its multiple objectives – from setting the country’s foreign-policy and security-policy agendas to defining the political direction of the state – it has to balance the challenges of dealing with the West and other allies, the task of presenting Pakistan as an Islamic state keen to follow liberal values, and maintaining a posture as respectful of democracy while ensuring that civilian institutions are tightly controlled. It has long known it cannot pursue such a complex and diverse mandate without mastering the art of narrative management.
This is where the ISPR comes in. It started as the military’s public-relations directorate in 1949, two years after Pakistan became an independent country, and later evolved into the much more powerful ISPR, which is headed by a three-star general. With the complexity of the military’s task list, it is no longer limited to keeping the public informed about the armed forces. Today it aims at setting the direction of the national consciousness.