Yaum-e-Shuhda: Army’s Contribution during War and Peace Times

By Sajjad Shaukat

Every year, Pakistan Army celebrates Youm-e-Shuhada (Martyrs Day) on April 30 and the whole nation joins it to pay tribute to the departed souls of those valiant army officials who sacrificed their lives for the safety and security of the country and its people.

Several ceremonies are being held at the Garrisons all over the country, but the main ceremony is being held at Yadqar-e-Shuhada, General Headquarters (GHQ) Rawalpindi. The families and relatives of the martyrs (Shuhada), serving and retired officers, including people, belonging to various segments of society are invited to attend a function at the GHQ to pay tribute to the national heroes. Similarly, a sizeable number of near and dear ones of the martyrs are invited to attend the functions at the Corps Headquarters.

Since the partition of the Sub-continent, the people of the state of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) which comprised Muslim majority decided to join Pakistan. But, Dogra Raja, Sir Hari Singh, a Hindu who was ruling over the J&K in collusion with the Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Governor General Lord Mountbatten joined India.

Indian forces invaded Srinagar on October 27, 1947 and forcibly occupied the J&K in utter violation of the partition plan.

Despite Indian surprise invasion on Pakistan on September 6, 1965, Pakistan’s courageous armed forces defeated India, while the entire nation stood united for the defense of the homeland against India which had threatened the territorial integrity of the beloved country through an all-out war.

In fact, it was due to the ‘moral force’ that despite qualitative and numerical superiority over Pakistan, while showing courage, and by sacrificing their lives, the Pakistani forces not only recaptured the Indian territories, but also took Khem Karan from Indian forces as well as various regions of Rajasthan, Sindh, and Chumb in Kashmir.

However, there were many national heroes like Brigadier Ahsan Rashid, Major Raja Aziz Bhatti, Sqn Ldr MM Alam, Sqn Ldr Sarfaraz Ahmed Rafiqui, etc., who fought courageously with the Indian militaries.

At this critical hour, Pakistan’s armed forces have been coping with internal and external challenges of grave nature in order to maintain the security of the country. In one way or the other, Indian fanatic rulers are also escalating tensions with Pakistan. In this context, the country is facing the challenge of hybrid war.

Some internal entities have been distorting Army’s image in such a way that general masses should forget the sacrifices and services of the armed forces. 

Recall armed forces’ innumerable services and sacrifices particularly of Army such as the resettlement of the Internally Displaced Persons during the Swat and Malakand military operations, counter-insurgency operations and restoration of law and order on many occasions—during catastrophic periods—floods, earthquakes, coronavirus pandemic, locusts’ attacks etc.—also giving matching response to Indian shelling at the Line of Control and to stop infiltration of terrorists inside Pakistan from Afghanistan.

Now, more than four and half months have passed. But, Indian fanatic government led by the extremist Prime Minister Narendra Modi continued military lockdown in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

Modi-led regime unilaterally abrogated the special status of the IIOJK on August 5, 2019 when Indian Parliament revoked articles 35A and 370 of the Constitution. The act split the IIOJK into two territories to be ruled directly by New Delhi. The purpose was to turn Muslim majority into minority.

Indian PM Modi-the leader of the extremist ruling party BJP had got a land sliding victory in the Indian general elections 2014 and 2019. During the election-campaign, Hindu majority was mobilized on ‘hate Muslim’ slogans and ‘anti-Pakistan’ jargons. Hence, Modi continues anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan policies.

Former Chief of the Army Staff Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa and Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir have frequently said that Pakistan’s armed forces are fully ready to meet any Indian prospective aggression.

Internally, Pakistan’s armed forces and country’s primarily intelligence agency ISI have successfully broken the backbone of the foreign-backed terrorists. Peace has been restored in the Balochistan province and Karachi, including other vulnerable regions. 

Despite it, in the recent past, terrorist attacks particularly in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan which is central point of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) show that the CIA-led Indian RAW want to damage the CPEC project which is part of China’s One Road (OBOR) or Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), as the US and India have already opposed this project.

Pakistan Army has not only been successful in uprooting the anti-state and separatist elements, but also contributed a lot in socio-economic development of Balochistan besides giving military training to the youth, while protecting mega-projects and the CPEC staff.

When more than 250 children died of malnutrition and diseases in 2019 in Thar region of Sindh, Pakistan Army established a free medical camp in Tharparkar. Army doctors and paramedics provided essential medical treatment to over 1,800 patients.

Since 1984, Pakistan’s military is fighting against the Indian forces in the Siachen Glacier region despite the unfavorable weather conditions.

In these various events, many soldiers of the armed forces, especially Army have been martyred.

It is notable that before the start of the military operation Zarb-e-Azb, terrorists had been, primarily, waging a war against the citizens of Pakistan. 200 million people of the country had been facing various kinds of terrorism related assaults, being conducted by the AI-Qaeda, the Islamic State group (Also known as Daesh, ISIS and ISIL), Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant outfits.

But, unlike other countries’ war against terrorism, including the US-led Western countries’ war against these non-state actors, Pakistan’s armed forces displayed unbelievable progress through the military operations Zarb-e-Azb and Radd-ul-Fasaad against the militants in North Waziristan Agency (NWA) and other vulnerable regions, and afterwards extended to other tribal areas, has almost, successfully, achieved their objectives.

It is of particular attention that when the unprecedented deadly floods and extraordinary monsoon rains which began in June, 2022 have destroyed lives, livelihoods and infrastructure in Pakistan’s various areas, especially Sindh, Gen. Bajwa, himself supervised the Army’s rescue and relief operations in the affected areas. Besides the efforts of Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Air Force, Army also saved the lives of thousands of individuals. These forces also provided the people of the flood-stricken regions with basic needs of life as well as safe shelters. 

It is mentionable that analysts agree that in the post-election scenario, Pakistan’s multiple crises and challenges would increase and the stakes for the new coalition government would be enormously high. The most immediate task for the government would be to negotiate a new bailout agreement with the IMF, which has been done, and the country has to seek a new loan of at least of $6 billion to repay billions in debt due this year to avoid a default and to stabilise the economy.

In the recent election, Nawaz Sharif’s party PML-N gained a simple majority, while the leadership of PTI party of jailed former PM Imran Khan claims that the election results had been changed to divest the party of its two-thirds majority in the parliament—the independent winners linked to Khan have emerged as the largest group in the lower house.

With the support of other parties, particularly PPP, Shehbaz Sharif leader of the PML-N secured a comfortable win over the Sunni Ittehad Council-the PTI—which also choosed PTI leader Omar Ayub as the opposition leader.

The elected National Assembly met for the first time with lawmakers taking oaths amid protests on the floor of the house by supporters of the Sunni Ittehad Council-PTI. Similar practice continued in the provincial assemblies on various occasions.

PML-N, PPP and some other political parties also asked the PTI for cooperation so as to achieve political stability which is essential for economic stability. But, the PTI leaders refused any such collaboration—alleging rigging in the elections.

The chief of JUI-F (party) Maulana Fazlur Rehman who had confirmed contacts with the PTI repeatedly stated that he would launch a nationwide movement against the alleged vote rigging, accusing the establishment of it. The Sunni Ittehad Council-the PTI and some parties have also decided to launch movement which has almost started.

PML-N and some other parties opine that if elections were rigged or establishment interfered against the PTI as to how independent candidates, mostly loyal to Imran Khan, swept the polls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province by winning 91 out of 113 provincial seats, and PTI leader Ali Amin Gandapur was elected as the chief minister.

On the one side, PTI workers continue protest-rallies against the rigging in elections, while on the other, PTI has also filed cases in the courts in this respect—also about forms 45 and 47. However, it shows their ambivalent approach.

Nevertheless, 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 India manipulated differences between East Pakistan and West Pakistan.

Nonetheless, the importance of the Youm-e-Shuhada, this year has been increased, as the Pak forces, have also become target of malevolent campaign, being launched by the anti-Pakistan foreign entities in wake of Indian aggressive designs against the country.

And playing national songs on the occasion, the TV channels must also give a matching response to the hostile forces which are working against the integrity of the country, and are distorting the image of Pak Army.

The government, the opposition leaders, including all other segments of society must show selfless national unity which is very necessary to pull the country out of the ongoing serious crises.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

Email: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com