By Khalil Tasal
Throughout its dark history, the Pakistani military regime has not only failed to respond to the needs and aspirations of its own people, but has consistently sought to portray itself as strong through violence, terror, and actions that violate all principles of humanity, all while securing favors and praise from its foreign patrons. History also shows that the military regime has never brought any genuine national pride to its land or people; instead, it has repeatedly traded its citizens and core values to gain the approval and financial support of powerful countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, and others.
As a result, domestic dissatisfaction has reached its highest levels, a discontent that has manifested in the rise of groups such as the TTP, the BLA (Baloch Liberation Army), and other movements.
The Pakistani military regime is also the greatest enemy of the country’s foreign policy, and it has presented Pakistan in the eyes of the world as a mercenary, hired-killer, and proxy terrorist force. Its most recent disgraceful act, expressing support for the occupier Israel instead of the oppressed people of Gaza is something no rational mind could justify.
This is hardly surprising, as the military regime and Israel bear no real difference: both are armed forces composed of mercenary and violent groups, backed by Jewish businessmen, Christian capitalists, and pro-Israel corporations, all aiming to obstruct the welfare and unity of Islam and Muslims. They recognize neither principles, laws, nor international agreements; their sole objectives are to acquire wealth, expand illegitimate power, and pursue military growth.
In a recent act of brutality, the military regime carried out blind operations in Nangarhar and Greater Paktia during the sacred days of Ramadan. The world witnessed that these claims were false: no foreign militants were killed, nor were any official or governmental institutions destroyed. Instead, dozens of Afghan civilians, including women, children, and the elderly, were martyred.
The destruction of a civilian’s home in Bahsud, Nangarhar, and the tears of its owner are enough to break the heart of any humanist or compassionate soul. No human conscience could endure such pain and cries, whether in the darkness of night or during Ramadan. Yet, the military regime accompanied this atrocity with the claim that they had targeted their “enemies and terrorists.”
There is no doubt that Afghanistan is not a haven for terrorists, but its enemies have certainly been targeted, because the Afghan people themselves are the true adversaries of the military regime. On one hand, impoverished refugees are forcibly displaced, even having their homes destroyed; on the other, within its own territory, the regime perpetrates such atrocities that no law or text in the world could justify.
Although the Afghan Ministry of Defense made it clear that such actions by the military regime will not go unanswered and will be addressed at an appropriate time, a statement reflecting the views and confidence of the Afghan mujahid people, the Pakistani public must also understand that the Islamic Emirate and the long-suffering Afghan nation have always stood on the side of justice. They have never committed any illegal acts against Pakistan.
Rather, it is the military regime itself that has shown no mercy to its own people within Pakistan and has left the country with a tarnished reputation abroad. This is why it is deserving of condemnation, and no nation holds any positive memory of it.
Today’s Afghanistan is no longer the country whose fate could be dictated by the United States or NATO, nor is it one whose ruling authority would remain silent in the face of such actions for hidden or apparent expediencies. Instead, modern Afghanistan is stronger than ever, capable of defending itself, maintaining an independent stance and perspective, and will undoubtedly exact revenge while preserving its ability to protect itself.
The fundamental truth is that the military regime still refuses to acknowledge this reality, shifting the blame for its own shortcomings and the consequences of its misdeeds onto others, a policy that Pakistan’s dark history cannot absolve.
Worse still, the regime has exploited the name of Islam and Muslims for corrupt gain, sparing no transaction to tarnish the reputation of the faith. In contrast, the Afghan Muslim nation has always honored Islam, never compromising its principles, and has consistently made sacrifices, leaving behind a long history of martyrdom.
We must believe that the cries of the martyred Afghan children and mothers during the evenings of Ramadan will not go unanswered, and that the Islamic Emirate, the inheritor of the martyrs,will defend its people under all circumstances. There is a Pashto proverb: “When the ant loses its way, it still flaps its wings.” Today, we can say with full confidence that the days of the Punjabi regime’s decline are approaching, and divine justice will hold both the Pakistani people and these mercenary killers accountable.
The civilian government of Pakistan, which ostensibly represents the exercise of power and governance in the country, has a responsibility not to blind its people any longer. It must openly acknowledge that it lives under the coercion and control of General Munir and American intelligence agencies. This so-called government is so weak that it lacks the capacity to manage and protect its own citizens within the country, instead shifting the blame for problems and hardships onto others while constructing an artificial persona for itself.