It is not just about the war
Nations around the world honour those who give their lives in defending them. There is nothing wrong with it. In fact, it helps them keep the nation motivated. Pakistan celebrates its Defence Day on 6 September every year to commemorate the uncountable sacrifices its forces and people made while defending the motherland from Indian forces that had attacked it on this day in 1965.
Symbolic importance of the day makes it ever more important, this time more so as tensions with neighbouring India are again high. After the Modi government refused to hold national security advisor level talks, jingoistic statements from Indian officials including their army chief have in fact made the situation even worse. This, though, has made 6th September this time around a day marked with patriotic feelings even more than usual. While this may sell with the public, it is impossible to even think that it will sit well with the policymakers on both sides of the border. Instead of making it about a war that ended in a stalemate some 50 years ago, those who matter on both sides should focus on building a future together and not give in to hawkish attitudes.
While the truth about the war is still disputed with both the countries claiming a victory in the same war, what they should do is think about how they can make sure that they don’t ever have to go to war with each other again. Both countries already have enough problems; war is not going to help them in any way. Whoever was at fault in 1965, whether it was Pakistan with its Operation Gibraltar or India with its generals wishing to have tea in Gymkhana Lahore, what history has proven over centuries is that war brings devastation and creates differences.
Paying tributes to your martyrs is perfectly okay but not paying heed to the living is also not the right thing to do. And this is also exactly what both Pakistan and India need to do.
