IF we browse over the 67 years of Pakistan’s history, it will appear that the country faced battles and wars right from its inception in August 1947 and the status quo is likely to continue for forever.

During the partition millions suffered death and destruction during the migration of displaced Muslims from India. A year later, in 1948, the numerically and arsenal-wise weak army had to enter Kashmir to rescue it from Indian forces that had occupied it against the principle of the partition plan.

This engagement continued years later until the breakout of a full-scale war on Sept 6, 1965, between the two neighbours. Only six years later in 1971 the country had to quell uprisings of its own Bengali population that felt separation from Islamabad was their goal.

India took advantage to settle the score with Pakistan and openly supported Bengali rebels. The war that was fought between India and Pakistan resulted in severing of the country.

Now comes the second phase of the country becoming a battlefield not for its survival but for fulfilling the missions of foreign powers. In 1979, the invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet army provided a golden opportunity to Washington to avenge humiliation suffered by their forces in Vietnam due to the support provided by the USSR (now defunct) to Vietnamese fighters.

The US used Pakistan as a battlefield to launch attack on the intruding Soviet forces in Afghanistan. The American plan worked well after declaring jihad against Soviet forces by mustering support of Muslims from all over the world.

However, Pakistan suffered massively the aftermath of the war for decades. So this time Pakistan became a battlefield for fulfilling the objective of the US.

In 2001, again after the Sept 11 attack on the US, Pakistan made a decision to fight the Taliban as desired by Washington and the suffering of the people has not ended till today. The latest cause that is going to make Pakistan a battlefield is the decision of the government to support Saudi Arabia militarily in its fight against Yemeni rebels, who are supported by Iran.

This decision of the government will not only embroil us in a foreign dispute, it may create differences between Shia and Sunni sects of the country. Pakistan as a battlefield will remain active for the future.

Sayed G.B. Shah Bokhari

Peshawar

Published in Dawn, April 1st, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play