The resilient nation
THE crowd was in an ecstasy, to hear the first goal scored. Pakistan Zinda baad, Nara-e-Takbeer, Allah-o-Akbar, Nara-e Risalat and Nara-e-Haideri were heard miles away which were chanted with full strength of the lungs.
Surely the Pakistani fans in a “Prisoners of War (POWs)” camp in Bharat custody were enchanted over the first goal scored by Pakistan hockey team against Bharat.
It was the field hockey semi-final of Summer Olympics 1972. Bhartis had disintegrated Pakistan hardly a year ago, and had started considering Pakistanis a defeated and a demoralized nation.
The superiority complex made them think they had sunk the “Two-Nation Theory” in the Bay of Bengal.
Bharti camp commander in his superficial pride gathered all the POWs in the counting ground of the POW camp.
He placed a radio relaying live commentary right in between the two camps of Jawans and officers, considering last time champion, Bharat will win and Pakistani soldiers will be further ridiculed by them. He was probably trying to play psychological warfare in the footsteps of Guru Chanakia.
To utter disappointment of these planners, Pakistan won the semi-final defeating Bharat 2-0.
During the half time of this hockey match, Asar prayers were offered by 100% strength of the camp, praying to Almighty for a win for Pakistan.
The entire group was full of tears and spontaneous cries were heard throughout this unique silent prayer. It was a one-on-one message between Allah and this group of a few Pakistanis.
Thousands of miles away, Pakistan hockey team in Germany and all the Pakistanis were unaware of the diligence and passion with which these pious win prayers were submitted to Almighty. The prayers come true and Pakistan shocked the adversaries by a 2-0 margin.
Back home, Pakistanis were expecting their dear ones to be returned soon. In their simplicity and misleading leadership, they were betrayed by the false assurance.
Zameer Jafri puts it this way “Chivalric squad was not doomed to lose: Character of leadership was dismay ally loose: Spirits and eyes were full of the dream: The serpents within, destroyed the team:” Committing and not fulfilling is the hall-mark of Bharatis. They portrayed to international community, “POWs will be released very soon”.
Come many festivals like Ramadan, Eid, New Year, 23 March, 14 August and local functions, series of going back on words continued till the complete repatriation of the POWs for another three years.
Imagine the plight of the families hoping to see their dear ones on every special occasion to be present!!! Bharat had also not shared full details of all the POWs under their custody.
Even today, there are families in Pakistan waiting for information about their dear ones who are missing in action during the various conflicts between Pakistan and Bharat.
Who can forget the story of Sepoy Maqbool Hussain, a Kashmiri by birth. He was taken a POW in 1965 war and remained under brutal imprisonment for four decades, till released on 17 Sep, 2005 during a prisoners’ exchange.
This was for the first time Pakistan came to know he is alive. During imprisonment he was tortured to shout Pakistan Murdabaad (Down with Pakistan). Maqbool always responded Pakistan Zindabaad (Long live Pakistan).
His persistent refusal to oblige with his Bharti captors angered them, and they cut out Hussain’s tongue and rip his finger-nails off.
Hussain had no family left to go to, and his mental and physical state had reduced to the point where he would only respond with his rank and service No. Hussain managed to find his way to a Pakistan Army garrison and repeatedly wrote down his rank and service number on a piece of paper. It took time in recognizing Hussain’s service in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.
Pakistan has to play its cards sensibly in the selection of grounds and options before any flag corner meeting or negotiations for peace.
Especially when, Prime Minister of Bharat in his speech at Bangladesh Parliament on 23 Dec, 2015 openly admitted
“He is a stalwart who managed disintegrating Pakistan in 1971”. The same leader, said on Bharti Republic Day parade on 26 Jan 2018, “We have to support the Baluchistan and people of Giglit-Baltistan in getting independence”.
Today’s generation influenced by Social Media needs to understand, our enemies want to hurt our belief system, convincing, our ancestors did a mistake by making Pakistan. Anti-Pakistan elements are trying to falsely portray peace and “Amn Ki Aasha”, but not to spare any chance to damage Pakistan internationally.
They declare Pakistan a failed state and bombarding our thoughts by agenda setting. Hearts and souls are raided with psychological weapons forcing to surrender against them without even thinking to respond on any front.
Ancestors had warned us to stand fast and trust in your-self. Mukhtar Masood in his book “Awaaz-e-Dost” says “Both Minar-e-Pakistan and Alamgiri mosques minartes are close located, but period between them is three centuries apart.
I was mourning the three centuries lost, when “Minar-e-Pakistan” bowed and whispered the secret said in my ears “When mosques are less attended and learning places are dislodged, fiction takes over the facts, personal interest precedes the national interest, and unity is over ruled by compromises.
When Muslims are afraid of death and desire for worldly luxuries, then centuries are lost like this.”
It is heartening to note, our off-springs are aware they are inheritors of a proud history, culture and traditions and believe in themselves.
They are also convinced, they have a bright future to come and can understand rhetoric against Pakistan and its’ defence forces.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Islamabad.
