The creation of an independent Muslim state in the subcontinent was indeed a blessing of Allah Almighty. Our belief is further reinforced when we see the plight of minorities, specifically Muslims, in present-day India. Pakistan came into being on the sacred day of 27th Ramadan which undoubtedly was not a coincidence but the will of the Creator of this universe.
Hindus did not accept this independent Muslim entity from the core of their heart right from the beginning and wanted to undo it from day one. The colonial British decision-makers favoured the Hindu mindset and not only left Kashmir a burning issue but also went to the extent of suggesting one army for both India and Pakistan, which Quaid-e-Azam rejected.
Our soldiers have boundless courage and a strong will to fight to defend our motherland. They fight for a genuine cause, which is to ensure the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country against all invaders in all declared or undeclared hybrid wars like terrorism.
Pakistan fought its first war with India in 1948, in which our valorous army fought alongside tribal lashkars from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and put up a brilliant fight. However, they could not succeed in liberating the occupied Kashmir as the British Commander-in-Chief General Gracey was not ready to obey the Pakistani Governor General’s orders.
Not long after, the two countries fought another war. In early 1965, skirmishes started in Kashmir. When the Pakistan army was about to capture the Akhnoor choke point, India crossed our international borders on 6 September 1965 without a declaration of war. It had planned to break Pakistan with two pincers directed against the Lahore and Sialkot sectors. These were planned to finally converge on our strategic north-south road rail arteries and sever them. The Indian attacks were blunted at the BRB canal in the Lahore sector and after a fierce tank battle at Chawinda in the Sialkot sector.
The third Indian aggression came in 1971 when they shamelessly invaded former East Pakistan, a blatant violation of international laws and the UN charter. Unfortunately, India’s invasion led to the secession of East Pakistan. It was that day when the Pakistani leadership started thinking of creating some sort of deterrence to thwart such aggression in the future.
After India’s first nuclear explosion in 1974, under the leadership of Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Pakistan openly declared that it would eat grass but would undertake all necessary measures to prevent such non-conventional threats from India. As a result, Pakistan started building its nuclear capabilities despite international pressure not to do so.
In 1998, when India detonated five nuclear devices on a testing range, Pakistan responded with six explosions under the leadership of Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif. This created a strong deterrent against conventional military attacks against Pakistan and helped maintain stability in the region. We salute our politico-military leadership which constantly worked against all odds to achieve this capability.
We are proud of our army which, in the real sense, is a national army as it has representation from all the five provinces and Azad Kashmir as per their population. Our soldiers have boundless courage and a strong will to fight to defend our motherland. They fight for a genuine cause, which is to ensure the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country against all invaders in all declared or undeclared hybrid wars like terrorism. We salute our martyrs and are fully committed to looking after their families.
We must strongly condemn all attempts by our external enemies and their internal moles who miss no opportunities to draw a wedge between the public and our valorous armed forces. They will not succeed. What happened in Pakistan was a targeted attempt not only against our brave army and its leadership but also against Pakistan’s national security. Culprits involved in such heinous crimes deserve no mercy.
The writer is a former senator and retired army officer. He received Hilal-e-Imtiaz Military for his distinguished services and is currently the president of Pakistan Ex Servicemen Society. He also authored six book.
