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Tribute to Shuhada
The entire nation
stood shoulder to shoulder with the defenders of the motherland in paying its
tribute to the Shuhada on April 30th 2014. People all over the
country and from all walks of life held thrilling rallies in inspiring manner
to show their support for the armed forces. General Raheel Sharif’s address on
the occasion has been hailed by all as the most forthright, full of resolve and
commitment and highly reassuring. Coming
from a professional soldier and commander it has not only elevated the spirits
of the nation but must have also rung a bell in the hearts of the enemies of
Pakistan.
However, the
representation of both the Chief Executive of the country and the Commander in
Chief of All the Armed Forces of Pakistan at the ceremony was too conspicuous
by its absence. Agreed, the PM was away
to the United Kingdom on a foreign tour and the President had something more important to tend to at Karachi, they could have, according to the
standard norms of official protocol the world over, sent their Military
Secretaries to represent them on this auspicious occasion. A floral wreath each from the PM and the
President placed at the memorial by their Military Secretaries on behalf of
them would have been the most appropriate and laudable action. It would have not only assured the troops
that the PM who could pay a personal visit to a Karachi private hospital to
enquire into the health of Hamid Mir had also remembered them and their sacrifices, but would have also gone a long way in
assuring the entire nation that the civil and the military were on the same
page which is the dire need of the hour.
Col. Riaz Jafri
(Retd)
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