Yom e Shuhada

April 30^th was observed as Yom e Shuhada by the armed forces in an impressive way and befitting tributes were paid to those who laid their life so that the nation may live.  Ironically, quite a many of them – more than 5,000 – had been blessed with martyrdom in the last decade or so fighting the extremists and the terrorists. I, as an old soldier, felt proud of the occasion and reassured that the nation and the comrades-in-arms remembered them and their deeds.

However, at the same time I couldn’t help thinking that were they the only ones who laid their life for the noble cause?  How about the many many more innocent and unarmed civilians, old and young, women and children, members of the minority groups Muslims and Non Muslims alike, nearly 40 to 45 thousand of them in all - and the valiant men and the officers of the police forces who also offered their life fighting for the same national cause. I strongly feel that their death should not go in vain and they must also be remembered for their such heroic sacrifice.  There should be a National Day observed all over Pakistan down to District Level for them also to remember them and   commemorate their martyrdom and valiant deeds. As a matter of fact, I would strongly suggest that on this day the officers of the level of at least a Superintendent of police and a Deputy Commissioner should visit the families of the Shuhada of their respective regions/areas,! offer condolences/fateha and enquire about the welfare of the family.  It will provide them with the first hand information as to how the family of the Shaheed was faring.  Was there any need of monetary help, health care, education of the children or any other problem that the family was facing. They must take immediate appropriate measures to meet the urgent requirement(s) of the family and not treat the visit as yet another bureaucratic perfunctory routine exercise of office work.  This will be no favour to the family, we as a nation owe it to them.  

Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd)