NOVANEWS
By Sajjad Shaukat
Pakistan’s armed forces have been coping with internal and external challenges of grave
nature in order to maintain the security of the country. Externally, these forces have
equally been responding to India’s aggression at the Line of Control (LoC). Recently,
tension between India and Pakistan has accelerated, as the former set off a series of
unprovoked cross-border firings at the LoC. So far, Indian forces have killed some
personnel of Pak Army, and the paramilitary troops including one captain and several
innocent civilians. But every time, Indian guns became silent when Pak Army responded
with equal response for the defense of the country.
Internally, armed forces have also been fighting a different war of the enemy which
employs subversive activities of various kinds such as suicide attacks, targeted killings,
assaults on the Army and on security agencies, kidnappings and sectarian violence
etc. In this regard, militant outfits, especially Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and
Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) including other banned organizations have claimed
responsibility for a number of terror-attacks. Karachi, Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa and
Balochistan have become special targets of their acts of sabotage.
Unlike the past wars, the arena of war has changed. In the ongoing era, lethal weapons
and subversive tactics used by the terrorists can be more harmful in damaging the interest
of a rival country. As part of the new warfare, India has set up secret training centers
in Afghanistan where its military personnel in connivance with Israeli RAW and CIA
have been imparting training of guerilla warfare to the youngsters, having connections
with South Waziristan-based TTP and BLA. Based in Afghanistan, these anti-Pakistan
agencies send heavily-armed militants who not only target the outposts of Pak Army,
but also commit various sorts of terror-activities in order to destabilize Pakistan. In the
recent years, they have conducted high profile-terror attacks on the military installations,
while our armed forces have been encountering them with high morale. Pak Army has
continued fighting terrorists in wake of brutal tactics of the militants like beheading of
Notably, on September 15, this year, Maj-Gen. Sanaullah Khan including a lieutenant
colonel and a soldier were killed in a landmine attack in Upper Dir. TTP spokesman
claimed responsibility in this regard. In response to terrorist act, Chief of Army Staff,
General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani said on September 16, that no one should have any
misgivings that the Pakistan Army would let terrorists coerce them into accepting their
terms through peace process. He clarified that the Pakistan Army had the capability
and determination to fight terrorists. He also reiterated Pakistan Army’s resolve and
unflinching commitment in fighting the menace of terrorism in accordance with the will
Particularly, in Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa and Balochistan, personal of the Pak Army are
boldly facing ambush assaults, and targeted killings of the foreign-supported militants. So
far, more than 3000 soldiers have become martyrs in this different war in maintaining the
integrity of the federation.
But, it is regrettable that by showing unrealistic approach, Pakistan’s media, some
pseudo-intellectuals and political activists have started a deliberate campaign against Pak
Army. In this context, without knowing reality, and by taking advantage of the judicial
activism, our own media anchors and some internal entities have manipulated various
cases like memogate scandal and Mehrangate issue and case of the missing persons. In
this context, let us know the example of the missing persons—a majority of these people
include those people who were either kidnapped or killed by foreign-affiliated secret
agents and their backed-insurgent groups. In this connection, militant outfits, TTP and
BLA including other banned militant groups have claimed responsibility for a number of
acts of sabotage in various places of the country. Many of the disappeared persons also
went to Afghanistan for Jehad purposes, while some of them joined the Jehadi groups
inside Pakistan. But these entities left no stone unturned in implicating Pak Army for
extrajudicial killings, resulting into missing persons.
While speaking in the tone of anti-Pakistan elements, our media, particularly most of the
TV channels have ignored the sacrifices of Pakistan’s armed forces regarding the security
of the country and against terrorism. Biased attitude of the so-called media commentators
and journalists have not only been trying to demoralize the armed forces by undermining
their fighting spirit, but have also been misguiding the general masses, while setting aside
the services of these forces in the country.
No doubt, Pakistani armed forces have been the redeeming saviors of nation under all
circumstances. They are prepared to defend Pakistan’s frontiers and always reach out
to all citizens of Pakistan during catastrophic period especially when the nation is hit
by floods, earthquakes and natural calamities. Every year, when rainy season comes,
people look towards army soldiers who remain on rescue missions to save their lives and
Unfortunately, it is due to a wave of ‘pessimistic emotionalism’ instigated by the negative
media criticism, pseudo-intellectuals and political activists—stereotypes and prejudices
have been created by them against the armed forces in such a way that the people
should set aside innumerable services and sacrifices of the armed forces, as noted in
relation to the Swat and Malakand military operations—resettlement of the Internally
Displaced Persons (IDPs), floods, desilting of canals (Bhal Safai)—particularly during
the Earthquake of 2005, entailing restoration of law and order on many occasions. In
the recent past, armed forces were in the frontline for people-salvage from areas of
earthquake which hit Balochistan.
During the recent floods, the emotional episodes and heart-shaking stories, covering
tragic scenes of rescue missions undertaken by troops of Pak Army are still haunting us
all. Since the independence of Pakistan, military personnel saved the countless helpless
people by sacrificing their own lives.
It is mentionable that during the previous regime of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif,
WAPDA was going to be bankrupted, and he had invited the army to manage its affairs.
By collecting the electricity bills impartially, even from the influential persons, army’s
personnel had saved WAPDA from bankruptcy.
Similarly, army is called in aid of civil power to conduct counter-insurgency operations
and maintain order. Countless nation-building projects undertaken by the armed forces
speak of their commitment and devotion towards national cause and sense of duty.
Soldiers have done great service in the uplift of people of Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa,
Balochistan, Gigit-Baltistan, and other far-flung areas of Pakistan by completing
development works well in time. They deserve appreciation for all these good deeds.
It notable that in his book, “Fighting Power: German and US Army Performance, 1939-
1945”, Creveld identifies the elements of moral force, whom he calls “fighting power, the
willingness to fight and the readiness, if necessary, to die.” The greater these elements,
the less vulnerable an armed force will be to demoralization. So, moral force is critical in
determining the combat power of any belligerent. No doubt, these elements like will to
fight and moral force have been more found in Pakistani armed forces.
As regards the media criticism, it is easier to engage in a censure and a disparaging
discussion, while sitting in a cool-air-conditioned environment away from operational
areas where bullet, bombs, rockets, suicidal attacks and terrorists dictate the rules of
business, but to actually participate in such operations demands strong mettle. Our
soldiers can face the enemy under adverse environment, but they cannot digest the
comments directed against them by their own media anchors and writers.
So, instead of discouraging our armed forces through false propaganda, our media and
other similar entities must encourage these soldiers who are actively engaged in fighting
the war against terrorism. Media must itself realize and also provide true information
to the general masses. Their anchors and commentators must indicate that while facing
the enemy along borders, our soldiers are committed in counter-insurgency operations,
fighting the menace of terrorism—and engaged in rescue missions like flood relief
and earthquake-salvage duties. Thus, they are doing a great service to the nation.
They deserve admiration and the nation must not hesitate in boosting their morale by
encouraging them. In this respect, positive media projections will enable the armed forces
to maintain their real potential and deliver at an opportune time. Otherwise, negative
criticism will help the enemy to achieve its goals of demoralizing our armed forces and
reducing the combat efficiency of the soldiers.
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
