It was due to the selfless practical unity among the Muslims under the leadership of Quaid-i-Azam Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah that Pakistan became a tangible reality on August 14, 1947. But, that unity started declining after passing through various crises, and the result was separation of East Pakistan in 1971, as India manipulated differences between East Pakistan and the West Pakistan.

Although the 14th August is celebrated every year as the Independence Day, but, this time, it has come at a time when Pakistan is facing multiple threats of grave nature externally and internally, which are worrying all the citizens.

More than two years have passed. But, Indian fanatic government of the ruling party BJP led by the extremist Prime Minister Narendra Modi continued military lockdown in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK)—since August 5, 2019 when Indian government revoked articles 35A and 370 of the Constitution, which gave a special status to the disputed territory of the IIOJK. Thus, New Delhi unilaterally annexed the region with the Indian Federation to turn Muslim majority into minority. Acting upon the ideology of Hindutva ((Hindu Nationalism), Indian biased rulers also issued domicile certificates to 1.8 million non-Kashmiris to change the ethno-demographic structure of the IIOJK.

Indian forces had also accelerated shelling inside Pakistani side of Kashmir by violating the ceasefire agreement in connection with the Line of Control (LoC) and compelled Pakistan Army to give a matching reply. In the recent past, the Director Generals of Military Operations of Pakistan and India had agreed to strictly observe the 2003 ceasefire agreement at the LoC. But, unless resolved, Kashmir will remain a nuclear flashpoint.

Besides, under the Modi-led regime, persecution of religious minorities especially Muslims have been intensified in accordance with the ideology of Hindutva. The Indian Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019 and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) clearly exposed the Modi’s government’s discriminatory policies against the Muslims.

Despite criticism of the rights groups, foreign leaders, the UNO and moderate Hindus in wake of violent protests last year, which killed and injured hundreds of persons—mostly Muslims by the police and fanatic Hindus, Modi’s government has not withdrawn the CAA/NRC.

In this context, Pakistan’s civil and military leadership has repeatedly stated that in order to divert attention from internal crises and border dispute with China, New Delhi can arrange another Pulwama-type false flag terror attack in the Indian Occupied Kashmir to justify military adventure against Pakistan.

Hence, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief of the Army Staff Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa have frequently said that Pakistan’s Armed Forces are fully ready to meet any prospective aggression or invasion by India.

Internally, Pakistan’s Armed Forces and country’s primary intelligence agency ISI have successfully broken the backbone of the foreign-backed terrorists. Peace has been restored in the Balochistan province and Karachi, including other vulnerable regions.

But, in the recent past, terrorist attacks in Pakistan’s various provinces, particularly in Balochistan show that the CIA-led Indian RAW, Afghanistan’s intelligence agency National Directorate of Security and Israeli Mossad which also back terror outfits such as Daesh and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are destabilising Pakistan. These entities want to damage the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which is part of China’s One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative or BRI, as the US and India have already opposed this project.

It is notable that Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed stated on August 9, 2021: “India’s RAW and Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security [NDS] have started a campaign of terrorism in Pakistan…India, Israel and NDS together want to play with the peace and security of the country.”

Besides, Pakistan is the only nuclear country in the Islamic World. Therefore, it has become special target of some Western entities.

It is mentionable that in November, 2020 at a joint press conference and a joint press briefing, DG of ISPR Major-General Babar Iftikhar and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi unveiled a dossier containing “irrefutable evidence” of India’s sponsorship of terrorism in Pakistan.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN Munir Akram handed over the dossier to the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

In its 27th report, dated February 3, 2021 and the 28th report, recently published, the UN Security Council’s monitoring team for tracking terrorist groups confirmed Pakistan’s dossier. The reports focused on the global threat posed by Al-Qaeda, Daesh and related groups and drew attention to the increasing cross-border terrorist threat to Pakistan from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, operating from Afghan soil.

Notably, the country’s security agencies arrested the terrorists involved in a blast which occurred on June 23, 2021 near the banned Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed’s house in Johar Town, Lahore. Addressing a press conference, Punjab Inspector General of Police Inam Ghani provided details of the blast and proved that the mastermind behind the blast was an Indian citizen, having clear links with RAW.

Foreign Minister Qureshi remarked that if the international community had taken timely notice of Islamabad’s concerns over New Delhi’s involvement in terrorist activities across Pakistan, Lahore’s Johar Town blast and several terrorist incidents in Balochistan would not have taken place.

While, the EU DisinfoLab continued unraveling gradually, India’s terror-network and anti-Pakistan propaganda campaign.

Recently, world’s renowned newspapers reported that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s number was among those targeted for surveillance by India, using Israeli spyware–Pegasus software.

At this juncture, Pakistan is also facing multi-faceted crises and challenges like corruption, soaring prices, energy-shortage, unemployment, crimes, lack of health facilities, and dependence upon the US-led developed countries, IMF and World Bank for financial aid. And coronavirus pandemic has affected Pakistan in wake of country’s fragile economy.

Undoubtedly, Pakistan’s security forces have been facing a different war, while enemy is also different, who employ subversive activities of various kinds which include both internal and external challenges. In these terms, Pakistan is in the state of new war, being waged by the Armed Forces and intelligence agencies against terrorists.

As regards the Independence Day, the 23rd of March 1940 was a watershed in the history of the Sub-continent, when All India Muslim League passed the Resolution in Lahore for the creation of an independent state. Earlier, in his address to the Muslim League at Allahabad in 1930, the idea of a homeland for Muslims in their majority areas had been envisioned by the poet Allama Sir Muhammad Iqbal, and had become the aspiration of Indian Muslims.

In fact, the British colonialists in connivance with majority Hindu population had manipulated and targeted Muslims through every possible way. In that background, Muslims had started struggle for a separate state.

At this critical moment, this significant day emphasises that our political leaders must pledge that they will not support their parties at the cost of the country.

Nevertheless, prior to the Lahore session of Muslim League, Muhammad Ali Jinnah had specified to this historical congregation of the Muslims, the watch-words of ‘Faith, Unity and Discipline’ which were not only necessary for waging the battle for an independent homeland, but also for present Pakistan. The essence of these watch-words is unity. Hence, the government, the opposition leaders, civil societies and media owners, including all other segments of society must sign a charter of unity which is very necessary to pull the country out of the ongoing serious crises and to meet the Indian war-mongering designs.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

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