Daily Times

After the failure of 1857 War, the Muslims who ruled subcontinent for nearly 800 years, were pushed to the wall by the colonial masters as they considered them rivals and started tilted towards Hindus in a bid to prolonged their an illegitimate rule.

Breaking all records of inequality, favoritism and conspiracies, the nexus of British rulers and Hindus had deprived Muslims of all rights and liberties, forcing the latter to start a new struggle to regain their past glory.

To foil the deep rooted conspiracies and nexus of colonial masters and Hindus, great educationist Sir Syed Ahmed Khan came forwarded for the support of Muslims and laid foundation of Muhammadan Education Conference (MEC) that greatly helped an awakening of Muslims to achieve independence at united India.

The mission of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan was carried forward by great religious scholars Shah Wali Ullah, Mujadad Alif Sani, Syed Ahmad Shaheed, great Muslim poet philosopher Dr Muhammad Iqbal and others Muslims leaders and was completed by Father of the Nation Quaid-e- Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah on August 14, 1947.

Brig (Retd) Mehmood Shah, former Secretary Law and Order erstwhile Fata (now merged districts) told APP that after the creation of Pakistan, India had continued hatching conspiracies and waged four wars against it.

Depriving people of Kashmir of their in birth right of freedom or making an accession either with Pakistan or India as per the Indo-Pak partition Plan, he said that India had illegally landed its occupational troops in the Muslims majority Jummu and Kashmir (J&K) on October 26, 1947 and broke all records of human rights violations there.

He said the people of Jummu and Kashmir stood up against the illegal occupation of their motherland and succeeded to liberate Azad Kashmir from Indian yoke after giving matchless sacrifices.

To take revenge of their crushing defeat in Kashmir and fullfill hegemonic designs, he said Indian occupational forces had launched predawn attack on Lahore and Sialkot sectors on September 6, 1965 without warning or declaration of war.

“Pakistan military backed by PAF and Pak Navy and strong determination of the nation had repulsed the cowardly attacks and foiled the nefarious designs of the aggressor that was three times bigger than Pakistani security forces.”

Major Aziz Bhatti Shaheed (NH) had successfully defended the strategic BRB canal near Lahore for five days where he was martyred after being hit by an enemy tank shell on September 10, 1965.

“Pakistani forces had occupied over 16,00 kilometers Indian territory during 65 war and was in strong position to capture Delhi if the imposed was continued for few more days,’ said Brig (Retd) Mehmood Shah.

He said our forces had reached upto Sutlaj river bridge India and was nearer to Delhi as PAF and Pakistan Artillery had broken back of the enemy and moral of enemy was shattered.

Brig Mehmood said that India continued conspiracies against Pakistan and attacked Pakistan’s western and eastern sides in 1971 while Indians forces attacks on civilian population inside Azad Kashmir during Kargil war in 1999 and after it the India’s aggressive designs was not hided from anyone eye.

He said Pakistan was left with no option but to successfully detonated its nuclear devices at Chagi district in Balochistan 26 years ago on May 28, 1998 in response to India’s nuclear tests of 1998 to ensure its defense and restored the balance of nuclear power in the region by maintaining deterrence equilibrium.

Manzoorul Haq, former Ambassador of Pakistan said that 28th May was a historic day in the history of Pakistan when former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had rejected all international pressures and successfully made six nuclear tests that made Pakistan seventh nuclear power of the world and first of the Muslims Ummah.

“In my view, Pakistan was compelled to test its nuclear weapons in response to a series of nuclear tests by India on May 11-13 of the same year in 1998,’ he said.

“The Indian leaders had bite the dust after Pakistan’s successful tests,” he said, adding Indian politicians, civil society and intelligentsia whom were of the view that now they had a monopoly over the nuclear technology and capability in the region, were proved wrong after Pakistan tests.

He said it was the fact that development of Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities was an expression of its security concerns to counter India’s conventional arms superiority.

Dr Ejaz Khan, former  Chairman, International Relations Department University of Peshawar told APP that India’s nuclear test in 1974 was significant factors due to which Pakistan felt threatened and believed that it was only with the help of developing the nuclear capability can it ensure its security and survival.

He said that nuclear program started by former Prime Minister Zulfiqar  Ali Bhutto and later developed by the respective governments in Pakistan.

He said that former Nawaz Sharif regime knew that Pakistan’s failure to respond would have made it vulnerable to its aggressive neighbour and had personally attended nuclear tests detonation at Chagai Balochistan on May 28, 1998.

He said that an uncalled for nuclear tests and sanctions were imposed by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Pakistan. He praised former Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif for his bold decision regarding nuclear tests that mad Pakistan defense impregnable. He said the explosion of nuclear weapons by Pakistan had created balance of nuclear power in the region.

To celebrate May 28 in memory of the historic nuclear tests,Pakistan celebrates this day as Youm-e-Takbeer (The day of Greatness) every year to pay rich tributes to all those whom made Pakistan an atomic power. Like other provinces, Youm-e-Takbeer is also being celebrated with great national enthusiasm in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including merged tribal areas.

From Chitral to DI Khan and Kohistan to Waziristan, the residents of all districts of Khyber Pakthunkhwa, officials of the government departments, NGOs, civil society organizations, intelligentsia, labourers and students participated in big rallies, seminars, declamation contests and walks to celebrate Youm-e-Takbeer with immense zeal and enthusiasm.

The day dawned with special prayers in mosques for progress and prosperity of Pakistan, independence of the Indian Illegally Occupied Jummu and Kashmir and enternal peace of all the martyrs of Pakistan. The Federal and KP Governments had declared May 28, 2024 as public holiday and national flag is hoisting on top of buildings in connection of the day.

Rich tributes were paid to the political leadership including former Prime Ministers Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, scientists and officials of all the relevant organizations for making Pakistan an atomic power by the speakers in the mass rallies and debate competition.

Ikhtair Wali Khan, PMLN spokesman and former member provincial assembly while addressing a rally at Nowshera said that Pakistan defense was made invincible on May 28, 1998. He said it was a day to make a pledge to work tirelessly for progress and prosperity of Pakistan and stand shoulder to shoulder with our brave security forces to destroy nefarious designs of the inimical forces.

On May 28 message, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor Faisal Karim Kundi while congratulating the nation on Youm-e-Takbeer said that it is the day to renew our pledges to make the country’s defense impregnable.

“May 28 Takbeer Day is actually the Day of survival, day of loyalty and day of renewal pledge to make the country’s defense impregnable.”

He recalled that after the Indian nuclear tests, the then Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, decided to make Pakistan a nuclear power not only in South Asia but also in the Islamic world.

The decision of Shaheed Bhutto gave Pakistan a prominent place in the comity of nations which can never be forgotten in history.

On this day, May 28, 1998, he said the then prime minister, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, materialized the dream of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and made Pakistan a nuclear power, and in response to India’s nuclear explosions, the successful nuclear tests were carried out on the day in Balochistan.

“It was the day when Pakistan showed its strength to the whole world and attained the honor of being the only nuclear power in the Islamic world.” He said there are certain moments in the life of nations when a decision changes their destiny and May 28 was the day for Pakistan.

He said that the whole world cannot deny the fact that India has been involved in the nefarious ambitions of weakening Pakistan internally and externally from the very beginning.

He said India’s nuclear explosion was actually to send a threatening message to Pakistan, and recounted the historic words of former Prime Minister Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto that, “They will eat grass but they will make atomic bombs.”

The determination of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s brave, bold and resourceful political leadership came to fruition on May 28, 1998, when Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, despite the international pressure, made Pakistan a nuclear power and gave a befitting reply to India and today no enemy can dare to look at our country with an evil eye.

“Today, I would like to say to the people of the country, especially the youth, that they should always stand with the state and the state defense institutions for the defense and stability of their country.”

The Governor said the youth are our future and the future of the country is connected with a strong defense, thank God that today the defense of Pakistan is in strong hands.

He said “today we pay tribute to our security forces and express resolve to keep the state identity high in the world in cooperation with the government, and the state institutions for the strengthening of national defense, the supremacy of democracy and the development and prosperity of the country.”