DAWN.COM

PAKISTAN security forces are doing a good job in fighting terrorism and extremism, but this fight has proved very long and tedious where the security forces have suffered great losses.

The highly motivated soldiers lay their lives for the sake of the nation and its people. The status of performing the ‘toughest job’ of the post-Sept 11 decade can be allotted to the security forces. They have been quite literally ‘in the line of fire’ for far too long.

The unabated targeting and killing of the police, Rangers and the armed force by terrorists has raised the death toll to a considerable degree.

Evidently, terrorists view those forces that pose a resistance to their existence as a great threat that must be removed.
We must acknowledge the efforts of our soldiers and policemen who, despite knowing what they put their lives up to while being on duty, still do it everyday.

It is amazing that achievement awards are being bestowed upon many people who aren’t even deserving of the credit they receive.

Merit has never been our criteria for anything in this part of the globe. High achievers are ignored. We must change our preferences and try to exalt the common man.

Awards ought to adorn the uniforms of brave soldiers and policemen instead of their big bosses who do not have the capacity to grow any bigger.

Our hero is the soldier who fights against terrorists head on. It is the security guard who grabs terrorists clad in a burka entering the girls’ cafeteria of the International Islamic University.

It is the guard of a private bank who saves the bank and the people in it while he performs his duty.

It is all the soldiers who stand guard at Siachen and Salala along the Indian and the Afghan border respectively. They are the ones that need to be backed, supported and lauded for their bravery.

PROF KABIL KHAN
Peshawar