Independence Day Demands Practical Unity

By Sajjad Shaukat

The 14th August which is celebrated every year as the Independence Day, has come at a time when Pakistan is facing multiple threats of grave nature internally and externally, which are not only worrying all the citizens, and are creating divisions among the federal and provincial governments including political parties. As the government led by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif rejected the draft of the Terms of Reference (TORs), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has started anti-corruption campaign against the regime of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) after the massive leak of the secret documents from Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonsecai, which also include the names of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, prime minister’s three children–sons, Hassan and Hussain, and his daughter, Maryam—by alleging that they made millions of dollars of investments in the offshore companies and thus, were involved in tax evasion, fraud, and money laundering.

Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) has launched a countrywide campaign against the government in relation to the Model Town tragedy of August 6, 2014. Earlier, PAT Chairman Tahirul Qadri also criticized the ruling party’s leaders in relation to corruption. Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) also decided to start a protest-campaign against the ruling party in connection with the Panama files.

However, it was due to the selfless practical unity among the Muslims under the leadership of Quaid-i-Azam that Pakistan became a tangible reality. But that unity started declining after passing through various crises, and the result was separation of East Pakistan in 1971, as the India manipulated differences between East Pakistan and the West Pakistan.

While, Pakistan’s armed forces have broken the backbone of the foreign-backed terrorists by the successful military operation Zarb-e-Azb, which has also been extended to other parts of the country, including Balochistan. And Pakistan’s primary intelligence agency, ISI has broken the network of these terrorist groups by capturing several militants, while thwarting a number of terror attempts. Peace has been restored in Karachi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

Since the government of the Balochistan province announced general pardon and protection to the Baloch militants as part of reconciliation process, many insurgents and their leaders have surrendered their arms and decided to work for the development of Pakistan and the province, peace has been restored in the Balochistan.

But, in connivance with the terrorist outfits like ISIS (Also known as Daesh, ISIL) and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), including their affiliated factions, US-led India and Israel are destabilizing Pakistan, as it is the only nuclear country in the Islamic World. Besides, due to its ideal strategic location and mineral resources, Balochistan has become focus of these foreign countries whose intelligence agencies, namely American CIA, Indian RAW and Israeli Mossad are in collaboration, and have again started destabilizing Balochistan. Now, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is special target of theses foreign agencies.

In this regard, a deadly suicide bomber in Quetta-the provincial capital of Pakistan killed at least 74 people and wounded more than 100 on August 8, 2016 in an attack at the government-run Civil Hospital. Earlier, on the same day, unknown armed men killed Balochistan Bar President Bilal Anwar Kasi at Mannu Jan Road of Quetta. The dead body of the prominent lawyer was transferred to the Civil Hospital. The bomber struck at a crowd of mostly lawyers and journalists who were present into the emergency department of the hospital after killing of the Bar president. Similarly, externally-backed secret agencies have also begun targeted killings in Karachi as part of the double game of America.

Nevertheless, Pakistan’s security forces have been facing a different war, while enemy is also different, which employs subversive activities of various kinds which also include internal and external challenges. In these terms, Pakistan is in the state of new war, being waged by the Armed Forces and intelligence agencies against terrorists who are being supported by the anti-Pakistan elements.

At this juncture, Pakistan is facing multi-faceted crises and challenges such as corruption, soaring prices, energy-shortage, unemployment, crimes, lack of health facilities, and dependence upon the US-led developed countries, IMF and World Bank for financial aid.

Externally, from time to time, Pak Army and Rangers have boldly been responding to India’s unprovoked firing at the Line of Control in Kashmir including Working Boundary in Sialkot and other sectors. While, the fundamentalist party BJP led by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is implementing anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan agenda. In this context, BJP leader Dr. Subramaniam Swamy, a staunch promoter of Hindutva (Hindu nationalism) stated on July 12, 2014 that India needed only two years to defeat Pakistan militarily, and the only solution of Kashmir was war, as “there is no peaceful, democratic solution.

Unfortunately, it is because of lack of practical unity among our politicians, leaders and media that foreign opportunists have been manipulating the chaotic situation of Pakistan in order to fulfill their secret agenda by weakening the country. In the past few years, nefarious designs of RAW, Mossad and CIA can be gauged from a number of anti-Pakistan developments such as their support to insurgency in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, separatism in Balochistan and targeted killings especially in Karachi.

In case of Pakistan’s war against terrorism, while emphasizing on national unity, Chief of Army Staff Gen. Raheel Sharif has repeatedly stated, “We will continue to go after the inhuman beasts, their facilitators till their final elimination.”

In the recent past, Gen. Raheel Sharif said, “Terrorists have been cleared from their strongholds in North Waziristan Agency and Khyber Agency, and fight now is moving into last few pockets close to Afghan border.” He laid emphasis on “continuation of the operations till elimination of the last expected and probable terrorists groups and sanctuaries.”

Notably, present drastic situation cannot be comprehended by the general masses and even the political leaders who abruptly change their opinion. Therefore, they become unintentional victim of the external plotters who succeed in creating a rift particularly between the political groups, divided on ethnic and linguistic lines. These foreign enemies also seek to create a division between the political leaders and the armed forces of our country.

Nonetheless, today, Pakistan stands at the crossroads of its destiny, facing internal and external challenges and threats to the national security of the country.

At this critical moment, the Independence Day demands practical national unity, instead of verbal statements. This significant day emphasizes that our political leaders must pledge that they will not manipulate their regional and provincial differences at the cost of the national interests so as to grab political power. In this respect, a blind dedication to one’s own race, tribe and creed should not be allowed to create hatred in one group against the other. They must avoid exploiting present thorny issues in order to increase their vote-bank at the cost of the integration of the country. If any controversy arises, it can better be settled in consonance with the constitution or mutual understanding of the government and political parties. In this connection, in order to castigate the conspiracy of the external enemies against the integrity of the country, our political leaders, media and human rights groups must also stop manipulating any crisis against Pak Army and country’s primary secret agency, ISI whose image are deliberately being tarnished by the external plotters.

True and selfless unity against the external enemies requires that our rulers and leaders of other political parties and must create national cohesion among various segments of society. Particularly, our electronic media should give a matching response to malicious propaganda of the US-led some western countries including India and Israel which are distorting the image of Pakistan, its army and ISI.

No doubt, at this crucial time, Pakistan’s survival lies in selfless practical unity and strong cohesion, as at present, even a layman can note that our country is in chaos and it seems as if there is a “war of all against all” in the sense of ‘Hobbesian state of nature.”

On the occasion, we must follow the essence of the Pakistan Resolution which explained the basic idea of an independent state (Pakistan) in real terms by displaying practical unity which is not possible unless the government, the opposition leaders, civil societies and media owners including all other segments of society pledge to sign a charter of integration which is very necessary to pull the country out of the ongoing serious crises and threats.

We may conclude in wake of our internal and external crises that the Independence Day emphasizes on practical national Unity.

Email: Sajjad_logic@yahoo.com