Suicide bombing is an effective weapon in the hands of the desperate. But employing it against civilian population is outrageous
PAKISTAN initiated the war of 1965 with India on August 31 by crossing the LoC in Kashmir. The Pakistan Army achieved significant success with inroads aimed at capturing Srinagar, and finally the liberation of occupied Kashmir from Indian domination. After six days India surprised Pakistan with a massive counter-attack on Sialkot on September 5, 1965. It vowed taking over Lahore the same evening, and planned victory celebrations at the Shalimar Gardens.
Some of the senior observers and journalists from abroad who had arrived to cover the 1965 war between India and Pakistan believed that the Indian offensive on Sialkot was one of the massive tank-led attacks on any country in the history of warfare.
Let my young readers know that 1965 was the seventh year of General Ayub Khan’s martial law. The people were angry and dismayed. Since the prime concern of Ayub Khan’s martial law was to safeguard the One Unit, the sinister united front of four provinces of West Pakistan against East Pakistan, the Bengalis were in revolt. The entire progressive and democratic forces in West Pakistan joined hands with the Bengalis in their movement against martial law. The Sindhis refused to call Sindh by the new name, Sabiq Sooba-i-Sindh (former province of Sindh). They countered it with Jiye Sindh (long live Sindh).
There were chaos and confusion in the country. The people had refused to reconcile with the controversial result of the presidential elections held a year before in 1964. General Ayub Khan had won the dubious election with a landslide victory against Mohatarama Fatima Jinnah, the sister of the Quaid-i-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah. The people created hell for the general. Street battles with law enforcing agencies became the order of the day. Hardly a day passed without witnessing massive rallies throughout the country. The people were hellbent on ousting General Ayub Khan from power. In such an explosive domestic situation, Pakistan engaged India in a war in Kashmir on Aug 31, 1965. Resultantly, Pakistan had to fight a gruelling battle for survival on the Sialkot front. Many people, to this day, believe that it was a strategic war initiated by General (later on, Field Marshal) Ayub Khan to divert the attention of the agitating masses.
It was a successful strategy. The people shelved their difference with the government and rallied round their armed forces, and fortified the home-front. During the 17-day war, the people exchanged fabulous tales of velour and bravery of soldiers of the Pakistan Army. Several stories related to the brave who wrapped around their bodies bombs and explosive material, and threw themselves under the advancing Indian tanks, and blew them up in a substantial number. In those days, phrases such as suicide bombing or suicide attacks were not in vogue. In today’s context, those were suicidal attacks of Pakistani soldiers against a massive onslaught of Indian tanks.
Can anyone find fault or anything immoral in the fabled tales of bravery? Had the suicide bombers not impeded the rapidly advancing Indian tanks, Indian generals might have celebrated victory at the Shalimar Gardens of Lahore as planned. With their heroic deeds suicide bombers halted the legions of Indian tanks, and gave Pakistani tanks the much-needed time to reach the battlefield for a frightening clash of tanks in the history of warfare.
The motive and methodology of carrying out suicide attacks determine the moral validity of such awe-inspiring acts. The Palestinians and the Israelis are at daggers drawn for the last 45 years. Theirs is an undeclared war. Israel is a nuclear country. They have lethal weapons. Whereas Palestinians are poverty-stricken, ill-equipped people. A couple of years ago, a Palestinian suicide bomber packed his vehicle with explosives, and rammed it against army headquarters of Israel, and blew it up killing and wounding hundreds of Israeli solders. America immediately termed it a terrorist attack. Most of the world remained dumb-founded, not knowing whether to approve of the act or condemn it. The act on the whole did not damage the cause of the Palestinians.
Last year, a Palestinian carried out a suicide attack on a school bus carrying Israeli children. The brutal attack resulted in the death of 45 children. The attack was universally condemned, including by the diehard supporters of the Palestinians. It severely damaged their cause. The obvious purpose behind the attack was to terrorize the Israelis, but the methodology was condemnable. It was heinous and loathsome. Savagery can’t be upheld in any form.
During the American occupation of Vietnam, four decades ago, the Marines experienced a terrifying period in the rice fields and forests. They were ambushed, waylaid, and killed in the lightening attacks with spears made from soaked bamboos. They were torn to pieces. Though horrifying, would you condemn such suicidal attacks of the unarmed defenders of the motherland against heavily armed occupying forces?
Suicide bombing and suicide attacks are effective weapons in the hands of the underprivileged people whose liberty is violated by an invading army. But, employing suicidal offensive against civilian population is outrageous. It is unforgivable. No one can get away from censure on the pretext that everything is fair in love and war.
All religions extend assurance to the zealots that in case they gave up their life for a cause they would go to heaven. What assurance do all religions have to offer to the zealots for devastating civilian men, women, and children?
