Defense Day: The State of New War

By Sajjad Shaukat

The 6th of September holds a significant place in the history of our nation, when Pakistan’s courageous armed forces and the entire nation stood united in 1965 for the defense of the homeland in thwarting the nefarious designs of the enemy which had threatened the territorial integrity of our beloved country through an all-out war.

Pakistan Army not only forced Indian troops to retreat from Lahore sector, but also crossed the Line of Control, occupying various parts of Indian-held Kashmir-the root cause of the war.

This time, the Defense Day has come at a time when Pakistan and its 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.

However, during this very day, Pakistan is in the state of new war, being waged by the security forces and intelligence agencies against terrorists. In this respect, our Armed Forces are successfully obtaining their objectives in North Waziristan Agency (NWA) through military operation Zarb-e-Azb against the terrorists who had challenged the writ of the state, and had frightened the entire nation by their terror-acts. Pakistan has perennially been facing subversive activities in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Karachi and other parts of the country including tribal areas where security forces and law-enforcing agencies are coping with the militants.

Externally, 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, this year 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.

Moreover, Pakistan’s security forces have also been facing cross-border terrorism from Afghanistan side, encountering heavily-armed militants who from time to time, target check posts of the Army, and other civil and military installations.

Internally, prevailing political impasse in the country has deepened, as protesting groups of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led by Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) by Dr. Tahirul Qadri continue AZADI (Freedom) and INQILAB (Revolution) marches, observing sit-ins at capital city of Islamabad, blocking sensitive Red Zone area and threatening vital government buildings. They have negatively impacted the entire nation causing fretful anxiety for all segments of society. The demonstrations have been prolonged and extended unnecessarily, as the government of PML (N) led by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif could not grab the initiative to settle the issue through peaceful dialogue due to its irresponsible approach and slow strategy.
And Pakistan is facing multi-faceted crises such as 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.

It is because of lack of unity among our politicians, leaders, security forces and media that foreign opportunists have been manipulating the chaotic situation of Pakistan in order to fulfill their secret agenda by destabilizing it, as it is the only nuclear country in the Islamic World. In the past few years, nefarious designs of the external enemies can be gauged from various anti-Pakistan developments such as subversive activities, sectarian violence all over the country, and separatism in Balochistan.

Notably, present drastic situation cannot be comprehended by the general masses and even the political leaders who abruptly change their opinion without logic. 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.

It is regrettable that on the one hand, our multiple crises show that Pakistan is rapidly advancing towards a ‘failed state’ owing to the sinister designs of some external powers, while, on the other hand, our media, particularly most of the TV channels conduct controversial debate between politicians and commentators, contesting internal politics. Some, political entities have ignored the sacrifices of Pakistan’s security forces and country’s intelligence agency, ISI regarding the security of the country.

At this critical hour, while present different war demands selfless unity, but accusations and counteraccusations between the rival politicians who distort the image of Pak Army and ISI in the tone of external enemies have become routine practice. In this regard, they misguide the people by opining as to what the people want, but conceal as to what people actually need?

Unfortunately, under the cover of democracy and constitution, some politicians of the government and the opposition parties who want to protect their nefarious designs are targeting the armed forces. Thus, they are diverting the attention of the general masses from those articles of the constitution, which are mentioned in the ‘Principles of Policy.’ These articles clearly mention that people would provide with justice, gap between the rich and the poor would be reduced, and poverty would be eradicated in the country. However, our politicians and the subsequent governments of the industrialists and feudlords failed in delivering good governance to the people in accordance with the constitution. They have only deceived the public mandate under the cover of democracy which has been named as a ‘corrupt democracy’ in Pakistan.

Nevertheless, as regards the Defense Day, it demands true national unity among every segment of society. The 6th September reminds that instead of manipulating political turmoil, our political leaders must resolve it, and their differences through compromise. They must pledge that they will not exploit their regional, provincial and political differences at the cost of the national interests so as to continue or grab political power. In this respect, a blind dedication to one’s own political agenda, race, tribe and creed should not be allowed to create hatred in one group against the other.
They must avoid manipulating present thorny issues in order to gain the sympathies of general masses, and to increase the members for their parties. If any controversy has arisen between the government and the opposition parties, it can better be settled through reconciliation.

For this aim, in order to castigate the plot of the external enemies against the country, our rulers and politicians must also stop exploiting any crisis, especially the present one against the Armed Forces and ISI whose image are deliberately being tarnished by the external conspirators.

Besides, Pakistan’s media, especially TV channels must create national cohesion among various segments of society. For this purpose, the owners of these channels must detect and terminate the services of some anchors who are working on the payroll of foreign enemies. As electronic media attract more viewers, so Pakistan’s TV commentators should give a matching response to malicious propaganda of the US-led some western countries including India and Israel which are leaving no stone unturned in distorting the image of Pakistan, its army and ISI.

Today our nation is in a state of new war, facing multiple challenges to the security of the country. So, it is not war of armed forces only nor of intelligence agencies alone. In fact, it is nation’s war which demands cooperation of every citizen and politician.

Nonetheless, on this very day, imbibing the 1965 spirit of unity, the Defence Day serves as a motivating force for the civil and military personnel including the public to cope with the new dangers of this different war through collective unity. The entire nation must also show full unity with the armed forces and the intelligence agencies, encouraging them in giving equal response to the Indian aggression at the LoC, besides their fight against terrorism including other internal and external challenges.

Undoubtedly, the Defense Day demands selfless national unity among all the citizens, political and religious leaders, members of civil society, media and security forces to cope with the anti-Pakistan conspiracy.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

Email: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com