A guardian of the universal message of Islam, a compassionate advocate for the Muslim Ummah, a voice for the oppressed in Kashmir and Palestine and a great general who safeguarded both the geographical and ideological frontiers of Pakistan—General Hamid Gul (may Allah have mercy on him) has been separated from us for 10 years since August 15, 2015.
The champion of freedom and valiant soldier passed away while striving for Allah’s Divine system on this blessed land. It is a source of pride for the Muslim Ummah and the Pakistani nation that history gave rise to the “Mujahid of Islam,” General Hamid Gul, who, following in the footsteps of Sultan Muhammad al-Fatih, Mahmood of Ghazni, Sultan Saladin Ayyubi and Sultan Tipu Sultan, struck colonial forces hostile to Islam with an iron hand.
There is no doubt that the fame General Hamid Gul achieved within the Pakistan Army is rarely accorded to others and the reason was “Jihad.” He was a staunch supporter of the Ideology of Pakistan and the establishment of an Islamic system, becoming an indomitable wall in its defense. His love for Islam and Pakistan was a treasure he never compromised and even after retiring, he declared his oath was to protect Pakistan, not merely pursue a job. Whether in uniform or retired, he remained steadfast in defending the nation until his last breath. His military abilities, strategic intellect and tactics amazed the world, earning him an honor few enjoyed in the Army. Yet, his humility was such that he never kept security guards after retirement. The Afghan Mujahideen regarded him as their liberator, Muslims of Central Asia held him in esteem and after the fall of the Berlin Wall he was gifted a piece engraved with his role in striking the first blow.
No one can deny that General Hamid Gul had an extreme love for Pakistan; he would say, “I am a Muslim and I am also a Pakistani. Pakistaniat is within me.” He firmly believed Pakistan was capable of leading the Muslim world and his final journey took place under the shadow of the national flag. A truly patriotic individual whose zeal never wavered, he is the first and only national leader whose patriotism remained unquestioned even after death. Immortal in the hearts of his nation, he desired the implementation of an Islamic system and lived by his principles, refusing to bow before rulers of his time. Every statement he made carried weight and even today his ideologies remain intact. He would say, “My destination is Islam, not Islamabad,” vowing that until his last breath he would fight for Islam’s elevation and Pakistan’s defense, always standing for truth.
I, Abdullah Hamid Gul, his successor and ideological heir, am resolved to uphold his oath to defend the homeland until my last breath, Insha’Allah! He always alerted the Pakistani nation, saying, “The Russian invasion of Afghanistan is a pretext and Pakistan is the target. “ Similarly, he remarked about the USA, saying, “9/11 is an excuse, Afghanistan is a base and Pakistan is the target.” General Hamid Gul stated that the ISI, with the help of the USA, defeated Russia in Afghanistan and he predicted that there would come a day when you would hear that the ISI, with the help of the USA, defeated America in Afghanistan. Today, the golden words of that Mujahid-e-Haq manifest as the reality of American withdrawal in Afghanistan before our eyes.
Today, our political leaders are leading the country down a path dictated by their political interests and this is no secret. There has been a systematic attempt to create a divide between state institutions and the public. A fire of hatred against the national security institutions is being fueled; all of this begs the question, whose agenda is this? It is no secret that the USA wants to denuclearize Pakistan and before that, there is a conspiracy to demilitarize it, because no conspiracy to denuclearize can succeed with the Pakistan Armed Forces in place. Therefore, attempts are being made to spread hatred between the army and the public. What will happen next? The devastation seen in Ukraine serves as a warning in this regard. After surrendering its nuclear weapons, Ukraine was left defenseless against Russia.
Indeed, the Pakistan Army is the guarantor of Pakistan’s strong defense and it has proven this in the battle for truth. The great commander had also predicted concerning the current decayed political system, which is now proving to be true, as this system can only produce corrupt leadership. Quaid-e-Azam united the Muslims of the Indian subcontinent into one thread, despite there being no cultural or geographical commonality; he turned people from various regions into one nation. Such are the national leaders who care for the future and security of their country.
Today, in light of General (R) Hamid Gul’s thoughts and ideologies, rather than trying to preserve this decayed system, we should demand the implementation of an Islamic order, as called for by the Objectives Resolution and the Constitution of Pakistan. While the Constitution acknowledges Allah’s supreme sovereignty, it contradicts itself by entrusting governance to political parties. General Gul often said the global imperialist system has shackled us, making us cut our own throats with our own theory—a process still ongoing. He reminded us that our true identity is Islam and the Quran. False ideologies have been defeated by our hands and now we must present Islam’s ideology to the world. Pakistan, formed in Allah’s name, is a laboratory envisioned by Quaid-e-Azam where lives must be molded on Islam’s golden principles. We now have a golden opportunity to adopt this system and end constitutional contradictions. A fearless spokesman for Kashmir, he declared, “If Pakistan has to fight fifty wars to liberate Kashmir, we are ready to do so.” As the genocide of Kashmiris and Palestinians continues, the Muslim Ummah needs great generals like this true soldier of Islam.
—The writer is Chairman, Tehrik Jawanan Pakistan.
