Daily Times

That September came at a time when the Pakistani nation was barely 18 years old. Many of the generation who had been the part of the struggle for freedom were alive. There were also those who had seen near and dear ones slaughtered before their eyes. Then there were those who had arrived at the Walton camp and kissed the ground of what meant ‘Pakistan’ to them. They believed they had arrived at a safe place, at a place where they believed there were going to be no rapes, no tortures, no looting, no terror and no oppression. They had left their properties, lands and friends, businesses, everything because they had that ultimate faith in the new country they had helped create. It was history’s biggest sacrifice of life, property and personal dignity. They had paid the price and moved to the country they wanted. Admitted, the locals had paid much less a price but they surely shared the resolve to make a new beginning. This generation was still alive and had passed on a great deal of nationalism to the next generation.

It was the mix of the first generation who had given the great sacrifices and the second generation that grew up in the cradle of the first that was challenged by the enemy in the September of 1965. The enemy had knocked at the wrong door at the wrong time. This mix of generations was undefeatable in its spirit. The unity and resolve that was followed by this mix of generations was unheard of and perhaps never to be seen again. Every one fought that war. The soldiers were at the frontline, civilians were in the back up, the creative community of writers, poets, musicians, singers, painters, all dedicated themselves to defeat the enemy in the war at the front and in the war of nerves. Psychological warfare was equally important. Indian propaganda that Lahore was captured fell flat when Radio Pakistan from Lahore continued its broadcasts uninterrupted. Thanks to the broadcasters and persons like Noor Jehan, Shaukat Ali, Sufi Tabassum, music composers, radio staff and so many others proved themselves to be civilian veterans of the war.

In my articles in this newspaper two years ago I recounted the contributions of the creative community, which kept the morale of the nation high. They defeated the Indian propaganda that Lahore had capitulated. Their dream of having a party in the Gymkhana Club in the Jinnah Gardens never came true and, on the other hand, they lost the town of Khem Karan to Pakistan. Pakistanis were not a nation that could be defeated at that time. It was fresh in the memory of that mix of generations what it meant to be free and what did slavery mean.

But all this was almost half a century ago. That generation is either gone or on its way out. The memories are there. There will never be a September like the September of 1965.

Now is the time to learn from history. Now is the time to see the challenges that are being propped up not in the hard war but in a soft war. This soft war is no less dangerous. It is destruction from within. The challenge to the present generation of Pakistanis is to face the internal threats, sectarian threats, economy’s manipulation, water wars and the war to break the confidence in the country and its nationhood.

There are new technologies of waging war. The old-fashioned war is outdated. These are tough challenges. These can be faced only by the resolve and faith that was shown in September1965.

I recall that the lazy hazy days of summer had passed. People had returned to their routine work. Children were back to school. Lahorites were moving to get their chores done and to run their businesses and suddenly an explosion in the air shocked them. It was an enemy plane breaking the sound barrier. Everyone looked at the skies and saw Pakistani planes chasing the enemy off. Then came the announcement on the radio that India had attacked. The whole mood of the city suddenly changed. Each person resolved to defend the country. Civil defence organisation had the whole populace as volunteers. Immediately instructions were being followed and trenches were being dug in homes. Noor Jehan volunteered to be present at the Radio Pakistan studios to sing patriotic songs to keep the morale high. I organised a group of volunteer artists who coordinated with the ISPR to actually take the risk of going to the frontlines, meet the soldiers, give them little luxuries of sweets, food, cigarettes, etc, but beyond all was the feeling that the nation fully backed them, was prepared to share the risks, and fight at all costs along with the soldiers. In one day everyone in Lahore was a soldier. Then came the most memorable and inspiring address of President Ayub Khan on radio and the nascent TV. It united the nation further. Volunteers from NWFP, Sind, Balochistan and everywhere else started to arrive and were offering help.

The nation stood united as never before. It won because of its indomitable spirit, united effort and unwavering faith.

In the twilight of my life and as one of the millions who became ‘civilian war veterans’, I belong to that mix of the nation that existed at the time of that September of 1965. I long to see that spirit alive now again. I hope the present mix of generations will value its freedom as those who lived at the time of that September of 1965. If they do, this country will live and reach a position of honour, which is the rightful place for a united Pakistani nation. That nation chased a dream. Dreams make nations. Have that dream and you will make it a reality.

Do you have that dream?

The writer is the former CEO Pakistan National Council of the Arts; Chairman Fruit processing Industries; Chairman UNESCO Theatre Institute Pakistan and COO ICTV, USA. He is the author of Melluhas of the Indus Valley 8000BC to 500 BC. He can be reached at naeemtahir37@gmail.com