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, but are also creating divisions among the
federal and provincial governments including political parties.
While, it was due to the
selfless practical unity among the Muslims under the leadership of Quaid-i-Azam
that Pakistan became a tangible reality, on August 14, 1947. 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.
However, Pakistan’s
security forces have been facing a different war against the enemy which
employs subversive activities of various kinds which also include internal and
external challenges. Pakistan is in the state of new war, being waged by the
Armed Forces and intelligence agencies against terrorists. In this respect, our
Armed Forces have successfully obtained their objectives in North Waziristan
Agency (NWA) including other tribal agencies 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. In Balochistan, Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa, Karachi and other parts of the country including FATA our security
forces and law-enforcing agencies are coping with the militants, foreign agents
and criminals.
Undoubtedly, 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, 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 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 destabilizing the country which is the only
nuclear country in the Islamic World. In the past few years, nefarious designs
of some foreign secret agencies like Indian RAW and Israeli Mossad 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.”
On June 10, this year,
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 external
enemies also seek to create a division between the political leaders and the
Armed Forces of our country.
Nevertheless, 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,
14th August demands true national unity, which must be shown practically. 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 connection, 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. For this aim, 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 foreign 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 some 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 strong and selfless unity and
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,
media owners, security forces 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.
Nonetheless, in wake of our serious crises and
threats, Independence Day emphasizes on strong national Unity.
Email: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com
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