Homage to the Un-Sung Heroes of September 6th, 1965

by Xavier William

(September 08, Islamabad, Sri Lanka Guardian) Pakistan day is celebrated on September 6th, in remembrance of the Pakistan -India war on 1965. Brave soldiers of the Armed forces sacrificed their lives to protect their homeland.

The police authorities turned a blind eye to the incident, they didn`t even bother to visit the crime scene.

Each year the Armed Forces and the Government pays homage to the heroes of the 1965 war. The Pakistan day used to be celebrated by a parade by the armed forces in the federal capital Islamabad. Each year the un-sung heroes from the religious minorities are ignored by the authorities.

In Lahore Life for All a humanitarian organization organized a seminar to highlight the services of the religious minorities in the armed forces. The officials from the Catholic Church were also present at the event. LFA Representative Mr. Rizwan Paul on this occasion said, "the services of the religious minorities have been sidelined by the government, their names and services have even been excluded from the history books and the text books taught in the schools. Notable names like Wing Commander Cecil Chaudhry (Sitara-e-Jurat, Tamgha-e-Jurat), who protected the airspace of this country, Air Vice Marshall Michael John O’Brian, Wing Commander Mervyn Middlecoat (Sitara-e-Jurat, Sitara-e-Basalat), Air Vice Marshall Eric Hall (Hilal-i-Jurat, Sitar-e-Jurat), GoC ( General Officer Commanding) 23 Div Major General Noel Israel Khokar, Air Commodore Wladyslaw Jozef Marian Turowicz the man who headed SUPARCO (Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission) in its days of glory and the father of our space and missile programme and countless others besides the hundreds of great teachers who have, continue to, and will go on to further enlighten students at the historically magnificent missionary and convent schools in this country. have never been mentioned in any history book or paid the homage they deserved. We salute these great names for their outstanding services for Pakistan. Their services must be highlighted on Pakistan day."

Paul further said, " these names must be included in the history books, text books and the syllabus, so that the nation can know the services of the religious minorities who have always served their homeland."

Kashif Mazhar the Regional Director addressing the occasion said, "today we pay homage to the un-sung heroes of the Pakistan day, who fought bravely for their Country, they fought as Pakistanis, the sons of the soil. I ask the government why their names are not included in the history books? why they were never mentioned anywhere after getting the medals of honor? Hindus in Pakistan are discriminated against and remain stuck in the worst of economic conditions, besides being forced into conversions. Ahmedis cannot even proclaim their religion openly and are murdered in broad daylight round the year. Jews just ran away from this country knowing what was in store for them. Christians, Pakistan’s second largest minority, are discriminated against and killed in the name of blasphemy laws. Recently I have been told that two Christian brothers John and James were barred from playing in a play ground located in central Lahore, their father is a serving Lieutenant Colonel in the Pakistan Army, their only crime is that they are Christians. The Nine year old children already know enough to hate friendly and happy going people of other faiths based just on their religion. How long will this continue? How much more blood shed will make us realize enough is enough."

In Faislabad a Ahmedi, Naseem Ahmad Butt was gunned down by four students from Khatam-e-Nabuwwat Federation in broad daylight on Monday. Naseem Ahmad Butt had been declared wajib-ul-qatl (worthy of being killed) in a pamphlet distributed by Aalmi Majlis Tahaffuz Khatam-e-Nabuwwat. The pamphlet contains 50 names and reads, " a person who kills all these 50 Ahmedis will get a straight entry into the heaven, he will have the opportunity to live under the shadow of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)".

The police authorities turned a blind eye to the incident, they didn`t even bother to visit the crime scene. This is the second Ahmedi murder in one week, the government has failed to control the extremists who continue to run a parallel government within the state. Faisalabad for a long time dominated by the Deobandi schools of thought but the the Barelvis are also gaining in influence, and they are not to be left behind in their persecution of the Ahmadi community. The extremist groups have been very strong in this region and have been [persecuting the religious minorities from two decades.

Father Isaac John from the Faisalabad Catholic Diocese said, " The Punjab Government is responsible for the law and order situation, they are answerable for all the deaths not only Ahmadis, but also others, including several Christians, all killed by sectarian and jihadi organizations. The Punjab Government has been supporting and providing a safe heaven for the extremist groups and the banned organizations. The state of Pakistan, after having declared the Ahmadi community as non-Muslims, has to protect them the way it is committed, under law and religion, to protecting minority communities. Its failure in Faisalabad to come to the help of the targeted Ahmadis is symptomatic of the terminal phase of its existence. Hatred and extremism are becoming the hallmarks of the sociology of the state."