Daily Times

Every year, September 6 comes as a reminder of the unforgettable tales of bravery and valour that the Pakistan Army had shown in 1965 to defend this homeland. Our armed forces repeatedly showed gallantry during the 1965 war. Even after half a century, these episodes still haunt the Indian forces The generals and officers of the Indian Army were earlier planning to enjoy an evening at Lahore’s historical Gymkhana Club when they attacked the city in the darkness of night. Lahore Gymkhana was just few kilometers away from the Wahga border and Indian Generals seemed justified in their designs, keeping in view their huge numerical strength. History, however, still remembers the way our brave army defended its soil and foiled their nefarious designs. Major Raja Aziz Bhatti-the hero of Lahore’s battlefield -was leading from the front. How can one forget his courage and valour as he remained at the forefront while shattering the dream of Indian Generals to have their ball! Major Bhatti gave his life for the motherland but didn’t allow the enemies to enter Lahore. He was rightly acknowledged later by being accorded the highest military award, Nishan-e-Haider.

This bravery, commitment and gallantry have remained the hallmarks of the Pakistan Army since day one. Almost all of us have heard the stories of immense fearlessness that our armed forces showed during the war of 1965. These are all first-hand accounts. The Sialkot border will be remembered throughout history as one can’t find such examples of courage elsewhere. The enemy was entering Pakistan through the Sialkot border in great numbers with modern tanks and ammunition. The Pakistan Army was no match for their numerical strength but the courage of our force was matchless. Our soldiers wore bomb jackets and rushed towards tanks of the Indian Army; destroying them all to safeguard their motherland. It is really hard to find such examples of bravery in the whole history of wars and battles because not a single army in the world has these traits of gallantry except the Pakistan Army. That is the very reason why the war of 1965 is taught as a case study in the military academies and defence universities worldwide.

It can be rightly argued that the Pakistan Army is the most disciplined and organised institution in the country. This is acknowledged by its worst critics. A soldier gets basic training at Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) Kakul. This hard and disciplined training becomes part of his life till death. PMA Kakul is, undoubtedly, the institution that gave this country brave soldiers and army officers. It is the training of PMA that transforms an ill-mannered man into a disciplined soldier. Youngsters from all provinces enter PMA, but by the time they pass out, they are only Pakistanis with a completely changed personality.

Bravery, commitment and gallantry have remained the hallmarks of the Pakistan Army since day one.

Pakistan Army is the only army in the whole world where the officer leads from the front. In other armies, the officers remain at the back and soldiers move to the front. But, here in Pakistan, the officer always takes the lead to boost the morale of his soldiers. That is the very reason why the ratio of officers’ martyrdom is higher in the Pakistan Army as compared to other armies. Maj Gen Sanaullah was the General Commanding Officer in Malakand Division when he was martyred during the Swat Operation in 2013. He was leading the convoy in the hard area when his vehicle was hit by an Improvised Explosive Devise (IED).

No one can forget the bravery of Karnal Sher Khan during the Kargil war. He was an officer serving as a Captain and he led from the front with great valour that his enemy appreciated and acknowledged his bravery. His Indian counterparts and enemies put a small paper in the pocket of his uniform while requesting his country, Pakistan, to give him the highest military award due to his unmatchable bravery. He was later given the highest military award Nishan-e-Haider.

It is worth mentioning here that the role of the Pakistan Army is not confined only to the wars and battlefields. The Pakistan Army is, undoubtedly, the last resort in national calamities and disasters. Whenever we face floods, rains, earthquakes and any other national disaster, the soldiers of the Pakistan Army are always here to rescue the people hit by these calamities. It is another example of how disciplined and organised the institution of the Pakistan Army is. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the army was at the forefront again. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) played the most important role in fighting this war against the pandemic. This institution is also headed by an Army General.

Pakistan Army has been facing many challenges since the war on terror reached our doorstep some two decades back. Earlier, Pakistan Army was engaged at the eastern border with a “visible” enemy in the form of India. The war on terror changed the dynamics of this region and the challenges of our army were also increased manifold. The Pakistan Army had to fight an enemy that was equally “invisible” and supported by foreign forces while the war was being fought on its soil. This war on terror once again proved the Pakistan Army as one of the best armies in the world. The operation against the militancy including Zarb-e-Azb and Raah-e-Raast were the most accurate and smartly executed ones that were launched by the Pakistan Army to uproot the menace of terrorism. The tribal area alongside the Afghan border was considered as the toughest terrain of the battlefield but Pakistan Army proved itself that it is the best in the world as it managed to eradicate terrorism from the area.

Our soldiers and officers rendered sacrifices of their lives to give us peace. Our incumbent Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa is leading this war from both external and internal fronts. His evergreen tenure is now dubbed as “Bajwa Doctrine” due to his broad vision and commitment to his uniform and motherland. The defence of Pakistan is, undoubtedly, invincible because our Army is here to protect this motherland.

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