Army Chief General Raheel
Sharif's Speech on Defence Day
Distressing it is that on a bilateral front, sub-continent with courtesy of
India, has lost ability for discourse, and has found recourse to sterner means,
whether in words or action, to deal with differences. In previous few months
India literally has taken the aphorism of 'might is right' to heart and has
started to believe that vehemence lies in violence. The civil and military
leadership’s nature today is so devoid of finesse and tact that they leap into
extreme action to inflict harm without a single act of provocation. Patience and
tolerance are now considered synonymous with weakness and an invitation to
abuse, making offense legitimate and par for the course in their diction.
Every time India's late president, APJ Abdul Kalam voiced his philosophy of
'strength respects strength' to India's nuclear policy, I wondered if it
meant just flexing muscles or if it really meant packing a punch on the enemy's
face and decimate him at some point in time? Considering the Indian leadership’s
hostile nature we have been witnessing from some time, it could have only meant
the latter. To have power up one's sleeve and use it as a bogey to keep harm at
bay sounds more reasonable than actually using it, but history witnesses that
Indian tendencies have become too imprudent and fanatical to merit caution and
control at various junctures of time. One of its instances was September 1965
war.
With Modi Government’s taking charge it has begun to believe that aggression is
the only means to disarm its opponents, and so it is investing heavily in
belligerent behavior. Rage is becoming contagious, and endurance, unfashionable
to the other side of border. Whatever happened to the good old art of discussion
over the table? Where has amity disappeared? Are there no peaceful ways to
settle discords and solve issues in this world? These were among some questions
when the world’s so called largest democracy stubbornly disrupted NCA parleys
igniting the LoC and Working Boundary and bloodletting of innocent Pakistani
civilian lives and incurring losses to their properties. Along came the series
of antagonistic rhetoric in a stark tone drumbeating the war probabilities on
short term footings on the wake of 50th anniversary of 1965 war.
Inevitably, from Pakistan side, a message on the clearest and the strongest
terms had become the need of hour. Reciprocating to the provocative statements
of Indian leaders, Army Chief General Raheel Sharif this Sunday said being
capable to face all internal and external challenges Pakistan is ready for any
‘traditional’ or ‘non-traditional’ war, and any ‘cold’ or ‘hot start’ reassuring
his people that they were being guarded by iron hands and watchful eyes. He was
speaking to a magnificent ceremony at the General Headquarters (GHQ) to mark
Defence Day 50th anniversary of 1965 war.
The Army Chief declared Defence Day as of immense significance when the enemy
dared to attack our country. In response, our valiant armed forces and the
nation stood together to successfully defend and inflict a humiliating defeat on
the aggressor. Over the period of 50 years since September 6, 1965, with a lot
of conviction, our homeland is much stronger and the Pakistani nation stands
more resolute than ever before. This productive journey was only made possible
due to the supreme sacrifices of the martyrs and steadfast war veterans of this
great nation. If the enemy ever resorts to any misadventure, regardless of its
size and scale, it will have to pay an unbearable cost, he reiterated. Pakistan
has been, over the past many years, confronted with terrorism and
sub-conventional war, consequently Operation Zarb-e-Azb was launched at a time
when chaotic forces were challenging the state of Pakistan.
The army chief ingeminated his resolve to eliminate “abettors, financiers,
facilitators and sympathisers” of terrorists at all costs. Talking about the
situation in Karachi and Balochistan, he said peace had returned in these areas
after coordination between civil and military leaderships, adding that
operations in both regions will be taken to logical conclusions.
The law and order situation in the country was abysmal and at its lowest ebb
that lead to an inhuman and barbaric act of horrendous proportions at APS
Peshawar. He said the sacrifices of martyred students and patience of their
parents gave a new energy to nation’s determination to fight the menace of
terrorism. He said most of the terrorists involved in this incident have “met
their fate”.
Kashmir, he said, is an unfinished agenda of partition and that peace in the
region hinges on the resolution of the Kashmir dispute. He said for the seven
decades the people of Kashmir have been facing Indian hostility and cruelty.
There can be no peace in the region without resolution of the Kashmir issue
according to the UN resolutions and aspirations of the Kashmiri people. The COAS
went on to say that Pakistan’s efforts against terror are last resort to
“regional and international peace,” adding that “we hope the international
community will appreciate and support us in our struggle.”
India not only imposed a war on Pakistan in 1965 but also has been committing
aggression along de-facto border in Kashmir and Sialkot Working boundary for
last few months. It seems to be on the war trail again as enamored by its Army
Chief and other politicians. Pakistan now has sent a firm, substantial and
elucidative message to neighboring India. Then there are grim retrospective
memoirs from the battle field that it better reminiscence of. The Indian forces
intruded into Pakistani area in the Rann of Kutch in April 1965. In a sharp and
short conflict, the Indian forces were driven out. Defeat in Rann of Kutch
really infuriated Indian army and it imposed a vindictive war on us. How can one
be oblivious of horrific Chawinda Battle of tanks? Perhaps the lame excuse to
retreat the battle ground was ammunition’s scarcity while surrendering its 130
tanks to Pak Army. The havoc played by M M Alam in airs of Sargodha was shocking
and mocking account that ridiculed Indian Air Force by perishing seven far
superior Indian jets in less than a minute. The back off the Indian Battle Ship
Vikrant made in Indian Ocean against the tactical surveillance of Pakistani
Submarine Ghazi is a bruise that Indian Navy never be healed of. It didn’t
courage again to cruise this warship into international waters as once
apprehended of Ghazi. The debacle of Dawarka Naval base still haunts our enemy
who also endures to celebrate the anniversary of its so called triumph in the
war. An Indian journalist Karishan Sinha questions that if we won in 1965, we
would have a lot of war accounts to celebrate, right after fifty years the
thinking of than triumph not augurs well and is a sign of defeat in itself. In
real warfare, it is concluded that if an invader comes short of its targets it
is considered that it losses the battle.
Given the manner in which Indian leaders are conducting themselves, it doesn't
seem like they are evolving to be anything better than what we were at the time
of partition. Their progress is proving to be self-defeating and regressive.
What a paradox that India claims to strive for peace on both national and
international levels, yet make no credible move towards actualizing it. It
embroils the regional peace and aspires to be the permanent member of United
Nation’s Security Counsel. What a wannabe thinking indeed. It now oscillates to
roses of peace and then to guns. One can only hope that the fire power India so
frequently flash is only a bugbear and will not be used to eventually raze the
entire sub-continent land. (ENDS)
(The author is freelance columnist based in Gujar Khan)