Here’s what’s happening across the border: Trees are being cut despite Imran Khan’s massive plantation drive; and the privilege of living in the PM’s house.
Yet again, Pakistan mum on Operation Gibraltar but marks 1965 ‘win’
On 6 September every year, Pakistan celebrates its ‘Defence Day’, a commemoration of what Islamabad claims was its victory in the 1965 war against India.
However, like every year, the official statements this year too were silent on the trigger of the war, Operation Gibraltar, the mutiny staged in Kashmir by Pakistan through infiltrators comprising soldiers and civilians. The official narrative in Pakistan is that India mounted an “unprovoked” attack on the country.
The war, which saw India reach the doors of Lahore and Pakistan make advances in the Rajasthan desert, did not really have a winner, and came to an end after a month with a United Nations-sponsored ceasefire.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has composed a “theme song” to commemorate Defence Day, which has been sung by popular singer Atif Aslam. The video of the song was posted on Twitter by military spokesperson Asif Ghafoor Wednesday.
Defence and Martyrs Day 2018
Theme song https://t.co/lmSJ449yxj#ہمیں_پیار_ہے_پاکستان_سے pic.twitter.com/gjcq52kGVk
— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) September 5, 2018
Pakistani cricketers were among those who posted messages in honour of soldiers, Geo TV reported.
#سلام_شہداء_پاکستان ??❤️??
— Shoaib Malik ?? (@realshoaibmalik) September 6, 2018
Salute to MARTYRS of the Nation ❤️? , PAKISTAN ?? ZINDABAD
— Mohammad Hafeez (@MHafeez22) September 6, 2018
#سلام_شہداء_پاکستان ??❤️?? pic.twitter.com/Yw3WXHVYcP
— Hassan Ali ?? (@RealHa55an) September 6, 2018
“There is no power on earth that can undo Pakistan”
This #DefenceDay we salute the Ghazis and the brave soldiers who fought till the last breath to keep our flag high!
?? #سلام_شہداء_پاکستان #ہمیں_پیار_ہے_پاکستان_سے
— Wahab Riaz (@WahabViki) September 6, 2018
— Adnan Akmal (@adnanakmal79) September 6, 2018
Waqt News shared a short clip showing train carriages covered with photographs of martyrs.
یوم دفاع ، شہدا کو خراج عقیدت پیش کرنے میں پاکستان ریلوے بھی پیش پیش
ریل گاڑیاں بھی “ہمیں پیار ہے پاکستان سے” کا پیغام دینے لگیں #DefenceDay2018 #MartyrsDay #AzadiTrain #Tribute @ShkhRasheed #Railways @pid_gov pic.twitter.com/yy3OgmPOvT
— Waqt News (@Waqtnewstv) September 5, 2018
The All Pakistan Muslim League, founded by former president Pervez Musharraf, shared some pictures from the 1965 war.
Some memorable pictures from 1965 war, we salute our brave soldiers who fought for the nation.#PakistanZindabad #DefenceDay pic.twitter.com/J8QoI6aahD
— Pakistan First (@APMLOfficial_) September 5, 2018
Former Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif, the current leader of the opposition in the Pakistan National Assembly, also paid tribute to the armed forces.
The Defence Day of Pakistan revives the memories of legendary valour & bravery showed by the armed forces of Pakistan in the defence of the motherland. It is the day when we pay our rich tributes to our heroes & ghazis who rose to the occasion in the call of duty… (cont)
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) September 6, 2018
PTI senator Mohammad Sarwar tweeted.
A salute to all brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives in defence of Pakistan 53 yrs ago & Defence day celebration is to remember & pay tribute to our martyrs & heroes. We also thank our Armed forces 4 successfully combating terrorism in Pakistan. May Allah protect Pakistan!
— Mohammad Sarwar (@ChMSarwar) September 6, 2018
Amid Imran Khan ‘tsunami’, trees ‘cut at Peshawar university’
Students and faculty members at the University of Peshawar (UoP) are up in arms against a drive to cut trees on the campus, alleging that administrative officers were doing so for their own benefit, The Express Tribune reported.
The drive comes amid a nationwide push led by Prime Minister Imran Khan to plant more trees across the country. The final aim of Khan’s campaign is to plant 10 billion trees in five years in a bid to curb pollution and smog.
Prime Minister Imran Khan planting a sapling at the launch of '10 Billion Tree Tsunami' at District Haripur.#Plant4Pakistan pic.twitter.com/kObaJkTHUm
— Govt of Pakistan (@pid_gov) September 2, 2018
According to the university’s teachers association, some 200 trees had been cut down on the UoP campus so far, the majority of which were shisham (Indian Rosewood).
Association president Muhammad Arif Khan said UoP was the only university in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa that hosted 80-to-90-year-old shisham trees. The association requested the vice-chancellor to look into the matter and initiate an inquiry against those involved.
UoP spokesperson Ali Imran rejected the allegations of wrongdoing.
Whistleblowers to get 20% of graft spoils they help recover
The Pakistan cabinet decided Wednesday to introduce an ordinance to reward whistleblowers who help the government trace illegal wealth, Pakistan Today reported.
Under the new law, whistleblowers are likely to be offered 20 per cent of the sum recovered.
The identity of the whistleblowers will be kept confidential, information and broadcasting minister Fawad Chaudhry said at a press briefing.
In addition to this, he announced that Rs 80 billion of “discretionary funds” had returned to the finance ministry and the National Assembly, saying the money was saved by ending schemes launched by the erstwhile Nawaz Sharif government, including the one for distribution of laptops among young students.
No load-shedding at Imran Khan’s Lahore residence
Sharing a video from the channel 24News, journalist Omar Qureshi tweeted that the official residence of Prime Minister Imran Khan in Lahore will be exempt from load shedding, an problem that affects large swathes of the country.
Prime Minister Imran Khan's Lahore residence to be exempt from loadshedding pic.twitter.com/RWnrzMeAcs
— omar r quraishi (@omar_quraishi) September 5, 2018
Journalist Murtaza Solangi was among those who pointed out that the decision seemed to be at odds with Khan’s promise of ending the country’s VIP culture.
This is surely the way to end VIP culture. What a peoples PM we have? https://t.co/PQKUXWG7Rk
— Murtaza Solangi (@murtazasolangi) September 5, 2018