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Our Unsung
Heroes
By
Amjad Malik
Peshawar blast greeted
Hillary Clinton, The foreign Secretary of United States on her 3 days
visit to Pakistan in October with over 100 coffins full of bodies of young
and old , male, female Pakistanis as part of the regional collateral
damage, which shows the tenacity of the situation and the nature of the
sacrifice Pakistanis are making for Americano War. On one hand soldiers
are dying day in day out in Waziristan and on the other brain washed
extremists are blowing themselves up for a lost cause as suicidal attacks
are not only un Islamic but their lives are being lost for nothing, but
who will tell them, the Mullah who is stinking with ignorance and greed,
or politicians who are not different to them either, if not worse.
But today I wish for those
ordinary soldiers who are fighting in the terrains of Pakistan and or
Afghanistan. Those fine young men and women of high class training and
professionalism are going to this war in order to safeguard us, the public
and the country. Decisions of war are made by the politicians but the
aftermath of such decisions are borne by commoners, the families of those
soldiers who either receive their loved one’s relived of their duties due
to an injury or they lose their loved ones and get their body bags. Its
the most painful experience of which almost every city and town in
Pakistan is confronted with a situation like this. Wars are won and lost
on account of the bravery of your army with the support of people and on
account of visionary leaders. Our leadership flaws are not only visible at
national and international scene but regrettably their weaker performance
is meagre, and shameful looking at their stance and reasoning on ‘KLB
(Kerry Lugar Bill). USA insults on injury by saying, take it or leave it,
choice is yours.
We must not forget those who
are dying every day for the country . Whether they are commandos who
knowing fully well went into GHQ to rescue those kidnapped and martyred
whilst eliminating the threat or those police men at Lahore who combated
bravely during a series of calculated ambush at training centre and
intelligence head quarters in the Provincial capital. Without doubt those
are real unsung heroes of modern times who deserve fair recognition,
compensation to their families and freedom medals so that our future
generation (s) know that when time came these fine gentlemen laid their
lives to secure the future of our children.
Without going to the legality
and rational of such decisions, those at war deserve applause to have been
fighting a difficult war where enemy is not visible, threat is imminent &
present but no warning and so far no pre warning equipment of a suicide
attacker. Operation in Waziristan is in full swing and army is making some
progress, but if this operation is truly to be translated a success on
paper, the follow up ground work must be completed now. Alienating
Pakistani Pashtuns from criminals, then Taliban and Al-Qaeda through a
political process, and a dialogue, and development is to be followed by
the operation.
USA is already talking about
bringing Afghan Talibs on board who wish to renounce their naturalization
with Al-Qaeda and severe their links. Regionally we must foster an
atmosphere where Pashtoons are visibly represented at a future set up in
Afghanistan so that their voice may be presented at apolitical forum and
manning 2500 kilometer border with Afghanistan must be the key question
for dialogue between NATO, US and Pakistan.
Pakistan and the region is
amidst fierce fighting of minds and souls. Different experiments are
ongoing but one thing is for sure that we ain’t winning yet, and stalemate
is not acceptable to us and to the west. Unless western world prides the
operational success of Pak Army in Swat and aid the army and civil
administration with full trust and share intelligence to clear the area
and they barter help for NATO in bordering areas of Afghanistan in
exchange of a viable civil and political structure which takes shape with
the representation of Pashtuns along with the visible military presence as
a monitor and deterrent, if not, I am afraid we all will continue fighting
little wars of our own. And it ain’t over yet, and not finishing soon.
Radicalization through
criminal activity is aiding and abetting terrorism in the region and as
West considers themselves short term players, therefore they are not
keeping an eye on the long term objectives in front of them. Long term
stake holder are quietly fighting their duel and every day we are
listening stories of our heroes saving many lives by sacrificing their own
lives, though the perpetrators are sometimes, if not often are aided by no
other than ‘the neighbours’. Hats off to them whose family member (s) are
fighting for the country and whose eyes are watery and hearts on the
Televisions breaking news. Any one incident, any one ambush and any one
attack may bring the bad news to them . They live and die every moment day
in day out. Those people are fighting the war minute by minute, and their
families with them. We must not forget them, especially those who are
amongst collateral damage, the innocent civilians who are caught in cross
fire or soldiers who lost their limbs whilst passing through unknown
mines. They are not politicians, they are normal soldiers standing in
front of bare guns facing the looming threat and they volunteer their
chest (s) before danger comes to us and our children. Hats off to them
and their families, they are our heroes, they are our protectors and they
are our soldiers who knows nothing but to safeguard every inch of its soil
without greed or lust. They are our unsung unknown heroes, common, unknown
soldiers, lets celebrate that we are in safe hands.
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Amjad Malik, is a Solicitor-Advocate Supreme Court of England
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