Once there was a land that was
realised after many sacrifices. Once upon a time there was a land that was
achieved with the passion, endless struggle and determination of a nation. Once
there was a land that was so important that a man who lost all his family in the
riots kept working saying that the establishment of the new administration of
the country was more important than mourning his dead parents, wife and
children. Once there was a land so sacred that around a million Muslim women
sacrificed their honour for it without a single complaint. A land that was so
sacred that women used top recite its name and pray for the well being of their
children. A land so pure that a girl so scarified her honour for it refused to
set foot on saying that it was Pak Sarzameen only meant for the Pak and pure
people and that she was no longer worthy of entering that Holy land.
Once there was a land with such honest, dedicated and selfless people that the
Governor General refused to wear socks costing 1.50 rupees saying that it was
right for the Governor General of a poor country to wear such expensive socks. A
land for which many affluent people left all they had their property, wealth,
states- to be a part of the great gift which Lord out of His ultimate grace had
granted them.
A land with such high values for the law and principles that the founding
father- the Governor General was reprimanded by an official in the Finance
Ministry for ordering a table to be fixed in the Governor General’s plane.
Governor General was told that he had no authority to make such an order and
that he should have requested the Finance Ministry to do so. And such was the
character of the Governor General that the man of integrity in the Finance
Ministry was not transferred, nor was he made an OSD but an apology letter was
sent to the officer asking him to cancel the order and to adopt the necessary
procedure.
Now there is a land where corruption is rampant and nepotism rules. Where
shirking duty and dodging work is so prevalent that those who honestly and
dedicatedly do their duty are taunted, persecuted and boycotted. Where the
motivated people imbued with passion are lectured everyday about the futility of
going the extra mile. A land where the system prevalent is so base, low and
corrupt that it gets even to the most motivated, dedicated and passionate
workers. Where nagging and criticising skills are the prerequisites of being
accepted in the order. A system which converts dreams into nightmares. Where one
has to fight hard- the external and the internal element s- to retain ones
spirit and commitment, to make a difference.
This is a land where women are gang rapped with the permission and orders of
panchaits and jirgas, where women are raped in the mausoleum of the Quaid who
neglected everything, even his own health during the struggle for a separate
homeland for Muslims where they will not be persecuted by non-Muslims. A land
where the picture of the founding father is removed from the Presidency, where
national flag is replaced by party flags and that too not from any city or
district but from the very capital, the heart of the country. This is a land
where no one can be trusted in any filed. Where the nation has become callous,
apathetic, morally bankrupt and religiously hypocritical.
While reviewing my aspirations and analysing my disappointments for the first
time I realised what it actually means when the elders of our nation –from the
time of the conception, struggle and creation of this land- say that this is not
the Pakistan we dreamt of. This is not even a fraction of what the Quaid had
envisioned.
For a time I thought that we as a nation have become resigned to our fate, that
we have stoically resigned to our paymasters’ will, to those who have
surrendered our sovereignty and to all the other corrupt, hypocritical, petty,
low, selfish, vain, base politicians and their kinds in the corridirs of power
whether civil or Military. Keeping in mind the critical situation through which
we are passing and observing the nation’s attitude all that can be said is that
we as a nation have become cold and calculating to say the least.
No one would have seen a nation as apathetic as ours. On one hand we mourn our
shaheeds, keep silent for a moment, feel sad and then again we continue with
frivolities. None of the wars Pakistan has fought till now lasted more than 17
days. Operation Rah-e-Rast started in mid May. Though major parts of Swat have
been cleared by our forces there still remain some reminiscent of the militants
still remain. Operation Rah-e-Nijad has almost been completed as well and major
areas of South Waziristan are under the Army’s control and the search and
destroy phase continues. Many of our valiant officers have set new examples of
courage and selflessness in these operations. Take the example of Capt Bilal
Zafar Shaheed. A boy so charged, so instilled with the desire of shahadat that
he spent the night before operation praying. A boy who used to say that bullets
can’t harm me. True to his words bullets did not harm him. He was hit by a
bullet in his arm but he didn’t stop. Such unstoppable was the advance of this
24-25 year old boy that seeing their post fall, the militants hit him with a
rocket propelled grenade (RPG). There are innumerable examples. Consider the
example of Maj Abid Shaheed. An officer who was hungry for three days but
refused to eat because his troops were hungry. Or consider the example f the
four SSG commandos who broke the necks of eight of their captures.
The whole north-west of the country is ablaze. The situation has been brought
under control but in COIN operations there is always a possibility of the
militants’ return. Our Armed Forces have made many sacrifices. Everyday we hear
news of more casualties. Our country is being encircled by our enemies, our
soldiers, young officers have been martyred but our nation cannot stop dancing
at the tunes of our enemies. Such frivolous attitude does not suit a nation at
war. We are at war. What more proof do we need? Do we want sirens and blackouts
so that the civilian population can hide in their trenches? The people of Swat,
Malakand and Waziristan have seen such times. We in the settled cities could
have faced similar situation. Blackwater forces under the garb of Dyn Corp which
originally are religious fundamental cult in the US of hired assassins have
already set foot on our soil. They virtually hold the whole University Town
under siege and point guns at people and stop our nationals from entering
certain areas. There have also been unconfirmed reports about US marines
planning amphibious landings in Balochistan and are planning to make their own
base near Gawader.
All this presents a doomsday scenario. If rationally analysed there is nothing
running this county but as Muslims we have faith in ALLAH. We have faith that He
will not waste us. We refuse to believe that the enemy can inflict any more harm
to us. We believe in our soldiers, we believe that ALLAH has created many more
Maj Abids, Captain Bilals, Captain Najams, Captain Sohails, Captain Omar Zaibs,
Captain Waqas, Captain Omar Trimzis, Lt Faiz and Lt Meirajs and many such
gallant soldiers to defend our country. These sons of the soil have cleansed the
insurgency hit areas with their blood. They have foiled our enemies’ game plan
which they had been developing over the years. We have faith in ALLAH that Ho
will not waste us before the final encounter.
True, it is the leaders that make and lead a nation but as ALLAH says every
nation gets the leaders it deserves. We have to improve our lot first and then
ask for miracles. Present character of our leaders reveals the shallowness and
corruption within the majority of our people. We have to rise from within. No
doubt we are frightened, discouraged and dejected but we see hope at the
horizon. A hope which has been attained after many sacrifices. We have seen bad
times. NWFP did not fall neither will Balochistan. We have tough times ahead but
Lord tests His people before entrusting them with important tasks. People pf
Swat have returned home. Nothing will happen to our Madina-e-Sani. Our greatest
destiny has been written. We have to prove as a nation that we deserve this
destiny. We have to protect ourselves from this system and also by the weapons
of mass deception used by our enemies. Now is not the time to be weak willed. We
need Ishq and Junoon of 1947 when our forefathers achieved this land against all
odds. Now is not the time to look at others. We have to make a move, the others
will follow. There are many who want to, all they need is direction. We as a
young generation got a weakened Pakistan; we have to strengthen it for ourselves
and future generations. We have to work for it and have to keep faith in the
destiny awaiting us, as Quaid said: “Do not for a moment think that your enemies
can ever succed in their designs. At the same times d not make light of the
situation facing you. Do your duty and have faith in ALLAH. There is no power on
earth that can undo Pakistan, it has come to stay”.