Support your military in its finest hour

Of late, the Pakistan Army has been receiving deleterious flak of criticism from 'friends and foes alike. I will not go into details as this charade of criticism is so loud, painful and unending that it appears there is nothing positive left to discuss about our defence forces, and as if they are some aliens from another planet. It also appears that the critics do not realise that Pakistan is in a state of war. Just to remind our readers, we are in the 21st century where the nature of war has transformed, where no formal declarations are made by governments, and where you can watch the miseries of war live from your cushy drawing rooms. If in doubt, please look at the gory pictures and videos being released from Libya, Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. One of the SMSs received from frontlines reads: You may criticise me and Pak Army for everything that has gone wrong in this country, but please dont abuse my mother, who sent me to fight for the cause of this beautiful land we call Pakistan, who sent me to face the bullets on my chest and not on my back, who sent me to remain awake the whole night so that you can sleep without fear, who sent me to bear the brunt of bone chilling and freezing cold so that you can criticise me and my commanders in your cushy drawing rooms over a cup of hot coffee or a bucket full of ice cream, who sent me to keep the star and crescent fluttering on the rugged mountains of FATA and Kashmir so that you could sing the songs of Aman ki Asha with Indian tricolour adoring your TV screens, she sent me to watch my comrades lay their lives and satiate the Pakland with pure red blood so that you could celebrate your sons graduation from an American university over a cup of pure red wine, she sent me to receive my coffin wrapped in the Green Flag so that you could stash your Swizz accounts with millions of dollars.. The SMS, not fully reproduced here for the sake of space, says a lot on our plight and perceptions; it highlighted the anti-Pakistan Army charade and sinister media campaign against the pillars of our strength have started affecting the minds of our soldiers and their commanders. Coming back to the question of the state of war, this long war which was imposed on Pakistan has lasted for a decade now. We are fighting hidden enemies and fifth columnists; our citizens, defence institutions and installations have been directly and indirectly attacked, and the Pak Army, along with other services and ISI, has borne the brunt of this war and continues to do so. The war seems to be leading to its logical conclusion, with the US packing up and retreating; as part of the end game, Pakistan and its defence forces have to be punished for two reasons: One, being allies with the US, and second, understanding the sinister designs of the US-India-Israel troika and defending the country. So, it will continue for some time. What do you do with your military commanders and soldiers in a state of war indeed, provide unflinching and unwavering support. Imagine the mental state of Churchill, General Montgomery and Eisenhower and the allied soldiers in World War II, if they were criticised every day from 1939 to the turn of tide in 1944 (those were the days when Churchill, even thought of fighting the Axis from far-flung British colonies and continental US, as the fall of British Islands seemed imminent), I am sure the allies would have crumbled before the might of Adolf Hitler. The British and American leadership and the media did not ask for commissions to probe every failure on part of their commanders. If you look at the list of reverses suffered by the allied commanders between 1939 and 1944, you may be amazed at the patience and perseverance of their governments and people. Churchill called this period of the Battle of Britain as 'Their Finest Hour and the entire British nation stood like a rock behind their military. Whereas I firmly believe that Pakistan defence forces and ISI are passing through their 'Finest Hour (you may disagree with me), I would request all and sundry, including media critics, to read the SMS message from the soldiers and officers fighting on our frontlines and giving lives for this wonderful country. They should spare the defenders of Pakistan for the time being, and let history decide if they found their finest hour in this long war - a war where foes attack you from all sides and 'friends clad in smart attires (and posing as well wishers of Pakistan) gnaw at your roots, laugh at every move you make and blast your defenders in every talk show. The writer is an A-levels student.