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Our national awards
It is our annual tradition that Pakistan government announces National Awards both for civilians and military on our Independence Day 14th August and then following year on Republic Day 23rd March, President personally confers those awards to all the fortunate ones and in principle there is nothing wrong to recognize those who rightly deserve. This week Cabinet Division released two lists enumerating those men and women who have been picked up for civilian and military awards.
If none hurls stone or, for that matter, does not raise eye brows, I would like to pose a simple and straight question as to what is the ratio of our military as against civil populace. I am neither a statistician nor a record keeper but nevertheless I do know that our military population is far too less than civilian population and numerically speaking civilians must have an edge over khakis and not otherwise unless our Aristotle and Plato can refute my argument. It took me some time to count each and every one who had been listed under the two categories-military awards and civilian awards and it is really more frustrating than mind boggling at least for me if not others that military had been lucky to get the lion share at the expense of the civilians. In military 281 had been decorated whereas under civilians 177 (excluding foreigners) had been honoured. It goes without saying that now when we are at peace and did not fight any war against any external enemy, our military has completely out numbered its civilian counter part in awards and I am afraid that in case of war like 1965 and not 1971, I doubt there could be any room for civilians to reckoned for awards.
In the olden days when Gen ® Pervez Musharraf ruled the country there was a common perception that he himself being a khaki had ignored the civilians to some extent and had been too generous to honour military people and say if I accept this argument for academic purpose then what to say when popularly elected civilian government is at helm of affairs and civilians are pushed back.
It will be much too immoral and uncalled for on my part if I do not heartily congratulate both categories whether civilian or military that had been conferred with the awards.
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With my honest and solemn prayers
Iqbal Hadi Zaidi / Kuwait / Mobile 66229897 / zaidi.former.diplomat.kuwait@hotmail.com
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