Years ago, a war started in the name of eliminating terrorism when the world’s most prominent muscle invaded Afghanistan. To be more precise, “war on terror” was launched by world leading powers against Al-Qaeda and Taliban. The war effected innocent people of the country. Situation in Afghanistan got worse and the righteous people found themselves helpless. The world wanted to abolish terrorism from the globe and in doing so they forgot about the guiltless people and their innocent children and their women.
At the moment, Pakistan, which holds the history of helping humble refugees, once again offered its services in order to help the Afghan righteous people. Thousands of Afghans migrated to Pakistan. Though Pakistan was well aware of the threat of terrorism and the consequences of their actions but not helping the helpless people didn’t sound accurate.
Among the whole world, Pakistan was the country which helped Afghan refugees and Pakistan was also the country which fought against the terrorists.
This was the time when Pakistan brought the war to its home. Till March 2015, a report says at least 80,000 people have lost their lives in Pakistan. Their image in the world is influenced by the war. International world has eyes upon us. Pakistan had spent millions of dollars in war. Our economy is affected by the war. They are many who tell about the losses we had but there are a few who express what we get from the war. Everyone knows how it started, who started it and what exactly happened.
But I think it is time that we know the things war has blessed us with. It is said that to be haunted by one’s own mistakes is the fate worse than death. In Pakistan, 80,000 people died in the war against terror. Yet one can see people have not lost their smile. The country we live in holds diversity which no other country holds. There are Punjabis, Pukhtoon, Baloch, Sindhi, Kashmiris, Gilgitis and many others. Each holds different cultures and different traditions. There are people from different sects and different castes.
Many attempts to provoke chaos in the country by targeting such things had been made but each time we found ourselves blessed by the odds. Whenever we found trouble we found ourselves watching each other’s back. Not as a group, but as a nation united by a bond.
What if we fear? We were created that way for we are humans. But we do accept the truth of death. What if we die? There is nothing more glorious than blood and it is the ransom paid for the safety of our home. Honor and Pride never let people die.
There are people who have tried many times to break the bond among us. And they had always failed. The reason is that we are not afraid. Because we know if we fall, there are others who care for us. They do not call themselves Pukhtoon or Punjabi, Shia or Sunni, Civilian or Military. They unite us with a bond. Call us a nation. For, we are Pakistanis….
UMAIR ZIA,
Islamabad, August 21.