Syeda Mazhar
Pakistan has been a nation to have survived the worst. It has been a country that has been born fighting adversities and throughout since. Has it been fate? Or the undaunted spirits of Pakistanis? Or a bit of both?
Everyone, in our own different ways, plays a significant role in the defence of Pakistan and the defence of the country ensures the well-being and prosperity of the nation. The soldiers, however, have a unique and a very distinguished role to execute in the defence of the nation. Today, they are not only protecting our fronts and saving our kin during the catastrophes rather they have taken up the role of heroes and saving the nation in the virtual war waged against Pakistan and its institutions.
Despite the never ending negative propaganda by the Pseudo-Pakistani elements, there still has been a remarkable revival in patriotism of the country recently. Major credits go to the efforts of COAS Raheel Shareef for restoring the faith in the higher authorities when all else was failing. In the wake of Panama Leaks and corrupt absentee politicians one after the other, the success of Zarb-e-Azb and major operations against the terrorist groups with strong hold in key regions, has brought about a positive change in the institutions in Pakistan.
Following the increasing fame, the countless systematic attempts to cast shadows on the role of Pakistan Army and make it disputatious to affect the becoming symbol of National Morale cannot be ignored. However, the Army never dissuaded from the task of being the savior of the Pakistanis. Time and time again it has proved to be the leaders, protectors and rescuer of this nation be it in the times of a natural calamity or during the dark times of threat from the external sources, be it an internal blow to the reputation of the National institutions or to boost up the countrymen’s morale in order to fight the impending potential tough times.
Yet, the anti-Pakistan elements, to carry out their sinister plans to demoralize the Pakistani Nation have been exploiting all tactics including misinformation, deception, media propaganda, everything to subvert the minds of people and especially the youth. Concerns have been raised about the syllabi of the elite education system. The unchecked media half-truths projected to the world about Pakistan, the NGOs whose deliberate activities have sparked a debate about their role, the lack of check and balance on the exploited freedom of speech and the fact that Pakistan Army is the only institution that feels responsible to address to such uprising issues and the only one facing the criticism too.
In the modern era of technology, the media has becomes a powerful institution which has changed the world into a global village. Unfortunately, Pakistani media have drawn undue advantage under the garb of availing rights of free expression by actually using media as weapon to exploit and coerce government functionaries, public, political leaders and institutions including Judiciary. Sensationalism and scandalous reporting, which has become a hall mark of the Pakistani Media has caused the reputation of the esteemed national institutions a lot of damage.
The news channels and the associated anchors of the Hate Brigade seem to be following a premeditated agenda, to target the civil machinery and prominent members to add to their power and brainwash the masses. Since the government through Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) failed to check the negative media trends, the media gained more buoyancy in their bashing campaign. The basic of the hate campaign is analogous to the propaganda products of India, US and other anti-Pakistan elements. The need to control and filter the negativity in their rants is immense as it is demoralizing the nation who recently got hopeful about the future and the stability of this country.
Raheel Shareef, unperturbed by the continuous criticism continues to boost the morale of the nation by reviving the culture of the Armed Forces so that every soldier stands proudly in front of their nation with a promise to protect them and defend their honor in the true sense of the words. The recent Defence Day Parade where the Military demonstrated their assets to the masses to reiterate the promise made by them about their protection.
In the times when ethnic nationalism seems insurgent and capable of pushing much of the world into chaos and war, the role played by the Pakistan Army in motivating the nation has been impeccable. Although granted, that nationalism is a political, economic and sociological phenomenon, it becomes a socio-psychological phenomenon to the extent that individuals develop attitude about their own and other nations. It is often a neglected fact that the defence of our country and national institutions ensures the defence of every individual living in it. Where everyone plays a role in the defence of the nation, the soldier’s role is unique and highlighted to the extremes, to safeguard the national interests and upholding the National Morale and they need to be commended for that.
