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“The pre-eminent military task, and what separates (the military professional) from all other occupations, is that soldiers are routinely prepared to kill. In addition to killing and preparing to kill, the soldier has two other principle duties… some soldiers die and when they are not dying, they must be preparing to die”.
(James H. Toner)
Army is not only a profession – it is a way of life. Abundance of pride more than compensates for the scarcity of money and worldly comforts. Demanding physical standards in turn nourish a sense of well being, health and strength; mental and physical toughness nurture courage, steadfastness and confidence to perform; patriotism and comradeship make sacrifice easy.
For a soldier, laying life for the country is the ultimate pride. Muslims and non-Muslims have stood shoulder to shoulder in bringing honour and pride to their unit, regiment, the Army and our country.
Soldiers all over the world are the same. The soldiers from two armies may find it more convenient to communicate with each other than their respective civilian counterparts, that is why it is easier to build confidence between two generals than two politicians or diplomats.
They are trained and expected to either kill or die. All the armies of the world have their true heroes. During the Second World War, Allies and the Axis powers both had a fair share of their brave. The Indian Army acquitted itself admirably well under the British. The Gorkhas, Sikh, Jat, Punjab, Frontier Force and Baloch regiments earned themselves laurels no less than any in the world. The grateful nations in turn love their soldiers like the majority in Pakistan dotes upon theirs.
But a Pakistani soldier has a unique motivation. He does his duty here and earns his reward in the hereafter, too. That is the concept of Jihad – the notion that has been thoroughly distorted by the Taliban for their lust for money and power and comprehensively confused by the Indian lobby that equates it with terrorism. The oppressors have always called resistance as terror. De Gaulle was a terrorist to Nazis and in recent past Mandela was once considered the biggest terrorist of the century. The antagonists of Pakistan both at home and abroad wilfully live in this confusion, a kind of masochism they relish and writhe in. There is no cure to a self-inflicted psychiatric condition that is reflected in their mania to see Pakistan give in to India and forget about Kashmir. That fits well in their geopolitical perception of an Indian dominated region, an impossible dream. Jihad in fact is defensive in essence, a resistance against oppression and tyranny. But much to the chagrin of the enemy the word Jihad does propel, galvanize, catapult and sky rocket the spirit to fight and die.
After 1971 War, an Indian general officer in erstwhile East Pakistan had brought his infantry officers to show them the body of Captain Anis Shaheed, sprawled on the opposite slope of an Indian heavy machine gun bunker that he had destroyed before embracing martyrdom. He said, “This is how an infantry officer dies.” He showed them another gunner’s body lying on his gun and said, “That is how a gunner dies.” That general must have been a great soldier himself.
On that fateful morning of 18 September, 2015 Captain Asfandyar jumped on the back seat of his commander’s jeep. It looked as if they were going out on a picnic. He loved his job. He was prepared for the ultimate. He had even purchased a piece of land for his grave. In few hours, the news of his martyrdom had hit the brigade headquarters like a bombshell. They mourned the death of the youngest amongst them and gave him a befitting send off. But they were immensely proud of him, too.
The Grade Three Officer (G-3) is supposed to remain by the side of the commander. He was hit. No. In close quarter combat there is only one line and that is the front line. All the officers along with their men were in the same line, facing the enemy who was at best fifty metres away. The combat space is thus restricted. Major Hasib was hit but it was truly Asfandyar’s day. All the officers like their commander to lead from the front, which is what a good leader is expected to do. All of them loved their job. All of them were prepared to die.
This is the way… that we live and die.
This is the profession of arms!
www.hilal.gov.pk
(James H. Toner)
Army is not only a profession – it is a way of life. Abundance of pride more than compensates for the scarcity of money and worldly comforts. Demanding physical standards in turn nourish a sense of well being, health and strength; mental and physical toughness nurture courage, steadfastness and confidence to perform; patriotism and comradeship make sacrifice easy.
For a soldier, laying life for the country is the ultimate pride. Muslims and non-Muslims have stood shoulder to shoulder in bringing honour and pride to their unit, regiment, the Army and our country.
Soldiers all over the world are the same. The soldiers from two armies may find it more convenient to communicate with each other than their respective civilian counterparts, that is why it is easier to build confidence between two generals than two politicians or diplomats.
They are trained and expected to either kill or die. All the armies of the world have their true heroes. During the Second World War, Allies and the Axis powers both had a fair share of their brave. The Indian Army acquitted itself admirably well under the British. The Gorkhas, Sikh, Jat, Punjab, Frontier Force and Baloch regiments earned themselves laurels no less than any in the world. The grateful nations in turn love their soldiers like the majority in Pakistan dotes upon theirs.
But a Pakistani soldier has a unique motivation. He does his duty here and earns his reward in the hereafter, too. That is the concept of Jihad – the notion that has been thoroughly distorted by the Taliban for their lust for money and power and comprehensively confused by the Indian lobby that equates it with terrorism. The oppressors have always called resistance as terror. De Gaulle was a terrorist to Nazis and in recent past Mandela was once considered the biggest terrorist of the century. The antagonists of Pakistan both at home and abroad wilfully live in this confusion, a kind of masochism they relish and writhe in. There is no cure to a self-inflicted psychiatric condition that is reflected in their mania to see Pakistan give in to India and forget about Kashmir. That fits well in their geopolitical perception of an Indian dominated region, an impossible dream. Jihad in fact is defensive in essence, a resistance against oppression and tyranny. But much to the chagrin of the enemy the word Jihad does propel, galvanize, catapult and sky rocket the spirit to fight and die.
After 1971 War, an Indian general officer in erstwhile East Pakistan had brought his infantry officers to show them the body of Captain Anis Shaheed, sprawled on the opposite slope of an Indian heavy machine gun bunker that he had destroyed before embracing martyrdom. He said, “This is how an infantry officer dies.” He showed them another gunner’s body lying on his gun and said, “That is how a gunner dies.” That general must have been a great soldier himself.
On that fateful morning of 18 September, 2015 Captain Asfandyar jumped on the back seat of his commander’s jeep. It looked as if they were going out on a picnic. He loved his job. He was prepared for the ultimate. He had even purchased a piece of land for his grave. In few hours, the news of his martyrdom had hit the brigade headquarters like a bombshell. They mourned the death of the youngest amongst them and gave him a befitting send off. But they were immensely proud of him, too.
The Grade Three Officer (G-3) is supposed to remain by the side of the commander. He was hit. No. In close quarter combat there is only one line and that is the front line. All the officers along with their men were in the same line, facing the enemy who was at best fifty metres away. The combat space is thus restricted. Major Hasib was hit but it was truly Asfandyar’s day. All the officers like their commander to lead from the front, which is what a good leader is expected to do. All of them loved their job. All of them were prepared to die.
This is the way… that we live and die.
This is the profession of arms!
The Profession of Arms
“The pre-eminent military task, and what separates (the military professional) from all other occupations, is that soldiers are routinely prepared to kill. In addition to killing and preparing to kill, the soldier has two other principle duties… some soldiers die and when they are not dying...
