THE DIN OF DEMOCRACY
THE RHYTHM OF ARMY BOOTS

A thinking army is new in culture

The usual stereotype is that fighting man is not a thinking man at all. Because he is taking the recourse of physical combat, he has no capacity to think at all. Traditionally army boots were snubbed in the sense that those people have no capacity for finer thought. To be honest this may be true for many armies of the world. The most fascinating thing is that charged with Islamic Faith, we have perhaps the only army in the world which is a thinking army. And with thought is coupled the ultimate character of Allah itself and that is COMPASSION AND EMPATHY. Imagine the enemy Army firing on the border regardless of consequences, and our Army considering the consequences of firing at people on the other side. Regard for the other side reminds us of our own Salahuddin Ayubi, who could think of talking care of Richard the so called Lion hearted on the other side. A hand of compassion on the terrorized was the need of the times and our Chief showed it to our people.

In my lifetime I have met many army guys, many were my class fellows, many friends, many seniors. I communicated with many too. And what I saw amazed me that these people were thinking people, with their combat abilities, they had not lost their capacity for finer thoughts. Once army boots meant end of thought. Here the Muslim armies were always obsessed with their DEEN and never let down their Allah in any way. Sultan Muhammed the conqueror of Constantinople through fierce battle, ended up doing the first thing he liked, getting portrait made sniffing at a flower. Amazing the Western critics would say. General Tipu Sultan was a connoisseur of Art and Culture. Many Chief of Army Staffs in Pakistan were so obsessed with reading latest books as well as decorating their homes with Pakistani Art and otherwise. So that was new in history, isnt it. A thinking army!

Yes the army must be thinking right now. What to do? But what they will decide we have hundred percnt faith will be in the best interest of the country. They know how to protect geography, and they know how to protect Ideology too. Our politicians with their corruption have let down the masses and the din of democracy has become piercing shriek of utter pain in our ears. Whereas fear of death sends a chill through the hearts of fighting men, it sends a ripple of emotional warmth through the hearts of our fighting and thinking Pakistani Army. After all we know losing ones life in the pursuit of Allah’s justice is not losing anything at all but gaining a life of permanent happiness.