Army itself is not a weapon. The real weapon is an army’s unity and its image and standing as an entity. Once it is shattered, the entire edifice of its force and myth collapses. What we are not realising in our case, with reference to the May 2 and May 22 instances, is the ‘innocent’ as well as ‘sinister’ propaganda against the armed forces is not all genuine. Some of the people have joined the bandwagon in order to not only malign the military but to settle scores with it. People from all walks of life; are all taking the armed forces to task, without knowing its gravest repercussions.
The Pakistan Navy suffered a great loss in terms of strategic edge or balance against the enemy. But the Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Air Force and Pakistan Army suffered perhaps the biggest of the shocks in terms of its failure to not only to protect the Mehran base, but also not to accept it as a security lapse.
This was amazing and everyone demanded Admiral Noman Bashir’s resignation. While there should be a resignation but the public should refrain from further adding to the destabilising din around the situation.
There should be deserved critique of the army but we should also keep it within reasonable bounds as it is after all a national institution which deserves our respect as its servicemen have rendered many sacrifices for the country.
ESCHMALL SARDAR
Peshawar
