Has liberalism become synonymous with anti-patriotism?
6th September, the Defence Day of Pakistan, has always been an important day for the country. It has been associated with paying tribute to martyrs of the war that took place in 1965, who sacrificed with their blood and life rather than bowing down to the enemy. This year the celebrations for the Defence Day were of paramount glamour and scale on behalf of the government, armed forces, civil society and the media. However, a lot of ambiguity and criticism was also garnered towards the day regarding the credibility of historical facts regarding victor of the war. It might not be the first time that such propaganda has seen the face of the day, but it has surely been the first time it was given fuel in the local newspapers and social media for confounding the compatriots.
The very act of celebrating Defence Day is misconstrued by various upper echelons in our society or the liberals as a celebration of war. For some it is merely a gruesome reminder of the blood spilled and casualties borne by this land, which is not a healthy reminder. However, the celebration is not for the suffering that consumed people on both sides of the border, rather a celebration of standing tall against all odds to defend the nation from the enemy. It is a festive way to honour those who died defending our motherland fiercely against an enemy that outnumbered us 5 to 1. It is a day meant for us to pay tribute to the heroes of the battle and an opportunity to tell the families of the martyrs that we do own the brave and courageous acts of our heroes and feel indebted to them. It is a chance to give a strong and clear message to our enemies that we stand united against any foreign oppression and boost the morale of our armed forces that are currently fighting a battle against foreign and local terrorists.
Moreover, I have several reservations on this questioning of Pakistan Army’s success in 1965 war against India. Who decides victory in a war? There are seldom any clear indications for deducing any one country’s victory or loss, as a war inevitably brings losses to both sides. It is merely a hazy grey area that depends on how one perceives it. We might have lost the chance to claim the coveted land of Kashmir but at the same time, we also prevented India from burning their fuels on our homeland. If signing the Tashkent Pact is construed as Pakistan’s defeat, then why isn’t India’s coming to the table considered theirs? Wars aren’t one sided and certainly the 1965 rampage wasn’t one-sided either. The fact that Pakistan was able to fight off the Indian troops, who were not only overpowering but also outnumbered the Pakistan’s army, speaks volumes about the true outcome of this war. I am in dearth of words and deeply saddened by the sorry act of our so called liberal population. However patriotic they might be in reality, their recent conduct is damaging to the cause of patriotism and reflects their nonchalance towards the very idea of patriotism.
The need of the hour is that our liberals and intellectuals take some time out for introspection. Apparently some of my wise fellow countrymen and women have concluded that since several historic intellectuals and liberals ended up disagreeing with the concepts of patriotism and nationalism, bashing your own country would automatically make one a liberal or an intellectual. Our seemingly pro-Indian, peace mongering friends should realise that movies like Phantom are made for a reason. A reasonable person can easily deduce that movies like Phantom or Agent Vinod or even Ek Tha Tiger, which bring nothing but financial crises to the industry, are made with an ulterior motive in mind. Five minutes into any of the aforementioned movies can easily unfold the motive behind its production.
Being a conservative and a pacifist at the same time are not mutually exclusive. Conservatives are not war mongering citizens who relish at the thought of bloodshed. No matter how much we advocate against war, ignoring the war by compromising on the dignity and self-respect of our nation is no solution in any case. A war, if imposed, should be fought with bravery, dignity and ultimate commitment. Let’s not advocate the war but at the same time let’s not allow our enemies to walk all over our principles and our homeland. As an example, let’s not ignore Modi Sarkar’s offensive attitude and his past role in Gujarat killings. Don’t let his speech during his recent tour of Bangladesh slip our minds and be cautious of what the Indian Army Chief’s statement was. Last but not least, let’s not be forgetful of the fact that we have received dead bodies in exchange for mangoes. It is high time that our pseudo-liberals realise that their point of views dangerously tip the balance in favour of our enemies. However lax their attitude, I would still not allege all of them of being non-patriotic, ignoring all the glorious reasons we mark 6th September for. Some deliberation and debate might help us understand the implications of these historical incidents and take our cue from there. Else, liberalism might as well just become a synonym for non-patriotism.
