Maleeha Hashmey
EVER since the
Pulwama attack took
place, followed by India’s misadventure aimed at instigating Pakistan, thing have been interesting. The misadventure ended up embarrassing the Indian Air Force to the core, when Indian Pilot, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was held captive in Pakistan for almost sixty hours, when his aircraft was shot down in a severe aerial fight.
As soon as Pakistani citizens watched the ill-fated aircraft biting the dust, they reached out to Abhinandan and got hold of him, in the literal sense of the word. While the unarmed citizens were at it, schooling the chap on why one should never breach one’s boundary, Pakistan Army soldiers stepped in, rescued him and rushed to provide him with first aid facility and the oh-so-famous “fantastic tea” that even the pilot in capitulation was all praises for, in his brief message that he shared later. Not only the “fantastic tea” but also the “professional attitude” of Pakistan Army was what really won the rival officer over.
Pakistan Army assessed three missile attacks in the making from Rajhistan, India, therefore, in response to it, they promptly prepared for nine missile attacks in India, which were going to be way more powerful in magnitude and capacity than that of the enemy’s.
Since the State of Pakistan, headed by Prime Minister, Imran Khan, viewed the safety and security of the masses on both sides of the border, as their top priority, so, Pakistan sent across one last message to India, revealing that it knew what they were up to and that the retaliatory attack was going to be three times stronger, both in missile count and magnitude.
Having seen poor Abhinandan’s condition and the tone indicating the seriousness of Pakistani State in terms of their probable retaliation, India gave up on its idea of digging its own grave.
Pakistan took a step forward and extended a gesture of peace, releasing Abhinandan, that killed any and every possibility of escalation that Modi could thrive on. This peace gesture not only won majority of Indian citizens over for Pakistan but also, the whole Pakistani nation “minus” the Opposition parties, who termed it as a “gesture of cowardice”.
Eighteen months fast forward, out of nowhere, PMLN Leader and former National Assembly Speaker, Ayaz Sadiq, in an attempt to get even with the Treasury benches, quoted Abhinandan’s release as an act of cowardice exhibited by the PTI Government and Pakistan Army, fearing an imminent attack by India, back then.
This statement triggered a massive response nationwide, especially when Indian Media passionately regurgitated Ayaz’s words, stitching them to suit their narrative against Pakistan.
Bewildered at the masses’ massive response, Ayaz clarified his position, stating that it was deliberately being blown out of proportion and that he only criticized PTI Government and not Pakistan Army.
The Federal Minister for Planning & Development, Asad Umar, in his tweet exposed Ayaz Sadiq’s misquoted statement and shared the chain of events that had happened during Pakistan-India standoff, 2019, as such.
Later, in a joint press conference with Fazal-ur-Rehman, Ayaz Sadiq maintained that he would stick to his stance and that he carried much more sensitive information. Moreover, he shared that he did not find anything wrong with his statement and that PTI Ministers were helping Indian Narrative against Pakistan gain strength.
Another prominent PML-N leader, Khurram Dastagir shared in a television programme that if discussions regarding this issue didn’t stop, much more startling revelations could make their way to the public ear. Here is some food for thought for Ayaz Sadiq and everyone supporting what he did.
If Ayaz does not think there is anything wrong with what he said, he needs to review his definition of right and wrong. Admitting when you go wrong (even unintentionally though), makes you a bigger person.
Pakistan won over International Media and majority of peace loving Indian
citizens when it ceased the opportunity to hit back hard, yet release the captured Indian pilot, despite having had the option to “linger on the process to tease the enemy” on table. It raised Pakistan’s stature worldwide and put Indian Prime Minister,
Modi to shame in his own country, for his warmongering behaviour, more than anywhere else. Ayaz’s one carelessly crafted statement disturbed the whole equation big time.
We all make mistakes but sticking to them makes it worse. Ayaz’s insistence on being right and him pinning it on others misunderstanding him did him more harm than good. An unwise friend is more dangerous than a wise enemy!
I could says, Ayaz Sadiq – an unwise friend. They say and I quote, “If your own dog starts barking at you, know that someone else is feeding it better”.
No matter how much of a bias a politician harbours against any institution, there is a red line marking the sensitive National Security nucleus, which should never be crossed, for political score-settling, no matter what.
Whether a political party reins the power horse or sits on the Opposition benches, the honour and integrity of the country should be their undeniable and non-negotiable top priority.
History is going to remember you by your actions. It is up to you, as to how you want to be remembered by the generations to come.
Prime Minister, Imran Khan’s bold statement yesterday in Gilgit Baltistan, “The entire nation will see as to who’s legs shake and forehead sweats in the days to come” has a meaning way beyond what meets the eye”. Whether the Government
knocks the Opposition out or vice versa, Pakistan has to be the one carrying the day! Pakistan Zindabad!
