People from all walks of life defied all threats Monday by actively participating in the heart-warming flag lowering ceremony at the Wagah border gate. The presence of huge crowd despite a dreadful suicide attack that resulted into the deaths of at least 60 people mostly women and kids Sunday has proved that Pakistanis always stand shoulder to shoulder with the armed forces and handful terrorists can not bar the masses to take party in any national event. During the ceremony, the enthusiastic crowed chanted ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ and other slogans. The rare show of bravery displayed by the people from Lahore as well other parts of the country is an ample proof that such cowardly attacks can not deter masses as well armed forces’ resolve to face all sorts of challenges.
Corps Commander Lahore Lt General Naveed Zaman and DG Rangers also attended the ceremony to boost the masses’ moral. Corps Commander told the gathering terrorists cannot deter the resolve of this brave nation adding these terrorist attacks cannot diminish the zeal and enthusiasm of Pakistanis. He also pointed that there was complete dullness on the other side of the border.
The terrorists are hell bent upon killing security forces personnel and not even sparing elderly people, women and children. The coward, ruthless enemies of state have geared up their attacks against the armed forces and general public. One can not termed people involved in planning attacks as Muslim as there is no room of violence in Islam. Islam teaches us tolerance, equality and respect of human lives. Since the launching of operation Zarb-e-Azab, the terrorists somehow managed to spread across the country to fulfill their nefarious design. They are targeting innocent people to take revenge of killing of their colleagues. Banned outfits are claiming for carrying out Sunday’s attack but so far concerned quarters haven’t identified the real culprits behind the cowardly act but whosoever coordinated the attack deserves no mercy and must be brought to book besides awarding exemplary punishment so that no one could dare to play with the lives of innocent people.
Since the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan till now, thousands of armed forces personnel, other law enforcement agencies men and innocent people have been martyred in terrorists’ attacks. After the fall of Taliban government and setting up President Hamid Karzai’s government by the United States, Pakistan suffering irreparable loss that brought country’s economy on the verge of collapse. Pakistan being a frontline state against global war on terror is struggling hard to revive the economy and flushing out terrorists from its soil to make world a safer place to live. Each and every Head of State kept appreciating the sacrifices rendered by the armed forces and masses but when it comes to assist Islamabad in true letter and spirit every one of them failed miserably to fulfill the promises he/ they made with each and every successive government. US is solely responsible for encouraging terrorists to launch attacks against the Pakistan armed forces, security agencies and the general public. Despite repeated protests lodged by Islamabad, Washington continued launching drone strikes in FATA. In Most of the drone strikes, innocent civilians lost their lives thus spreading hatred against the US and pushing some peace-loving people to launch attacks against own people.
Islamabad seems to have not learn any lesson from the US and its allies’ double standard as no concrete steps were taken by the foreign ministry to compel Washington in particular and its allies in general to respect the Pakistan’s sovereignty .
The previous as well sitting government did not even bother to revisit country’s foreign policy with regard to the double standard of US, world community and United Nations too. All they did just tabling resolutions in the United Nations against the drone strikes, and seeking UN’s role in resolving the core issue of Kashmir. Our rulers as well the opposition parties are not learning from any lesson from the past mistakes and are locked in politics of confrontation. None of the politicians have ever bothered to take practical steps against the unjust policies of US or neighbouring countries. They just delivered heated speeches against the US, Israel and India which is quite evident from the recent shelling from Afghan borders, unprovoked firing by Indian Border Security Forces at LoC and along side working boundary. The rulers have to revisit the foreign policy based on purely Pakistan’s interests. There is also dire need to take solid steps against the terrorists by awarding them exemplary punishment. It is an open secret that most of the target killers, terrorists have sympathies of some political parties that provide them protection from getting caught and “license to kill”. It is need of hour to award exemplary punishment to the self-confessed target killers and terrorists which is only way to put an end to terrorists activities. Pakistanis being a Muslim are not afraid of anybody but Allah Almighty and can not be held hostage by handful terrorists.
