Daily Times

December 16 reminds us that Pakistan’s eastern wing separated from us due to the political maneuvering and shortcomings of some of our own on that day. On this very December 16 2014, the tragic APS incident occurred, where innocent children were martyred in the name of Islam. When East wing, or East Pakistan as it was known, became independent on December 16, 1971, the fundamental role was played by our adversary, India. India attacked based on its two-nation theory, and everyone remembers Indira Gandhi’s famous statement in which she said they had drowned the two-nation theory in the Bay of Bengal. However, she forgot that theories don’t end with the separation of countries, and the two-nation theory is still an integral part of the faith of Pakistan’s 250 million people, who are dedicated to its protection.

As for the separation of East Pakistan, local politicians played a significant role, tempted and misguided by India, leading to aggression against Pakistan. It’s crucial to remember that the division of East Pakistan was not India’s victory but its failure, as India had always wanted to assimilate East Bengal into West Bengal. However, this conspiracy failed, and an independent Islamic country, Bangladesh, came into existence. The lessons from the separation of East Pakistan are hidden for us, emphasizing the need to identify traitors within our ranks-those who seek power under the guise of politics without caring about the country’s integrity.

We must learn from our mistakes because history always leaves a lesson behind. December 16, 1971, teaches us that we should not play into the hands of the enemy for the sake of our country. For the country’s benefit, we should unite, set aside our differences, and work together because unity is the key to the country’s progress and success.

In the context of current challenges, we should promote and actively support our national ideology. Our rulers should work towards promoting the two-nation theory at the state level, and we should instill in our children the understanding that we are a unique nation with our own identity, and our religion teaches us love, not hatred.

The lessons from the separation of East Pakistan emphasise the need to identify traitors within our ranks

When nations are divided internally, it gives the enemy an opportunity to sow seeds of discord, and we must remain vigilant against that. Our focus should be on promoting national ideology for the betterment of the country. The enemy, like the BJP’s Hindutva ideology in India, is relentlessly trying to spread anarchy through terrorism. It’s crucial for us, as Muslims and Pakistanis, to strive for the promotion of our national ideology and actively counteract the forces working against it.

The attack on Peshawar’s Army Public School on December 16, 2014, where 134 children were martyred, should remind us of our responsibility to prevent such incidents from happening again. We need to strengthen our armed forces to counter external threats, as our military has sacrificed 80,000 lives to secure the country from external influences. Foreign elements residing in Pakistan illegally are challenging our security, and we must recognize them and strengthen our forces to eliminate them.

Our duty as Pakistanis is to identify and neutralize such elements and support our army morally. We should not forget that these foreign elements, claiming to represent Islam, are receiving financial assistance from India, the same India that is oppressing Muslims within its borders. Therefore, it is our responsibility to recognize and confront these elements to ensure the safety and security of Pakistan.

As we deal with foreign nationals living illegally in Pakistan, some of our own people have sympathized with them, forgetting that these elements are hidden among the illegal immigrants and pose a challenge to Pakistan’s security. There is no doubt that the foreign elements claiming to follow Islam but receiving financial support from India are targeting Muslims. If they truly feel the pain of the atrocities against Muslims, why don’t they turn towards India instead of aiding it? As Pakistanis, it is our duty to identify and eliminate such elements, as our armed forces are the defenders of our borders, and our people are their strongest support.

The writer is an old Aitchisonian who believes in freedom of expression, a freelance columnist, entrepreneur and social activist.