A life of purgatory

When the soldiers fought in the Vietnam war, they were less than reluctant to leave the battlefield. They wanted to live and fight as long as they were either killed by the Viet Cong or some other deathly disease wrapped them up in the coffin of death. This was because they knew that back at home they were considered as ruthless murderers of innocent Vietnamese. Their own families were unwilling to accept them back. That was the mid of 1960s (63-68).

At present date, that’s what’s happening in Pakistan with our army men who are fighting for the security of the country are being given the expression that they are wasting and giving away their lives for nothing. All their sacrifices are for no cause but being titled as the murderers of the innocent tribal people who accidentally are also responsible for subjecting the country to terrorism. Those tribal leaders are given the title of “shaheeds” for being killed by external attacks but those thousands of men who are subjected to death by these terrorists on daily basis are counted as dead. The army men who are standing as embankments between terrorism and peace are being called murderers. The ones who are trying to keep the country safe are now titled as the killers. What a justice!

The soldier who is posted on a distant hill in North Waziristan to defend would be thinking right now that what this all has given to him. He got enrolled in army to serve the country and get martyred while fighting for the country but it is not worth living if he’ll be considered a murderer after death.

Today he stands in the sharp breezes, holding a gun with dry lips and expressionless eyes, looking for his future is a soldier of this country. Living a life of purgatory is a soldier of this country. Armed but clueless for his status as defender or killer is a soldier of this country.

SARA AMJAD

Lahore