New Delhi: A video of the Islamabad Police manhandling a retired Air Commodore and war veteran Syed Sajjad Haider who had played an important role in the 1965 India-Pakistan war has sparked outrage on social media channels across Pakistan with many calling the behaviour ‘disrespectful’.
Behaviour of @ICT_Police and Federal Govt’s institutions with Air Commodore Syed Sajjad Haider sab; The saviour of Lahore & Pakistan ; who led the most successful air strike on main Indian airbase of Pathankot & Wagha border in 1965
He was just standing with a placard saying… pic.twitter.com/Q9bf9DIVrq
— Azhar Mashwani (@MashwaniAzhar) May 14, 2023
The mainstream Pakistani media is yet to report on this but the social media in the country has erupted in anger and solidarity for Pakistan’s ‘saviour’.
The video, viewed over 3 million times on Twitter, shows the Islamabad Police asking the war veteran to vacate the spot he was standing on, with a placard that called support for Imran Khan. The former PAF pilot was in a red zone. The incident occurred on 14 May, while supporters were taking out rallies across Islamabad in support of Khan.
Air Commodore Sajjad Haider joined us. The police then came and harassed us. Thankfully let us go after detaining a few in the police cars. pic.twitter.com/HX1FmFCk1d
— ZB (@ZABurki) May 14, 2023
Retd Air Commodore Syed Sajjad Haider is often hailed as a war hero in Pakistan and a ‘savior of Lahore & Pakistan’ for his role in the 1965 war against India, ‘where he led the most successful air strikes on main Indian airbase of Pathankot & Wagah border during the war.’
The military officer was in Islamabad protesting against the attack on former PM and PTI chief Imran Khan. An avid Khan supporter, Haider has often heaped praises on the man and his style of governance.
Haider has been awarded with Sitara-e-Jurat, Pakistan’s third highest military award ‘for exceptional leadership, courage and flying skills’ during the 1965 war.
The manhandling had the Pakistanis divided. Many called the act ‘disrespectful’ and hailed his previous achievements while some said that PTI supporters were merely crying ‘foul’.
A Twitter user wrote, “Sajjad Haider sb is bravery and valor personified who took the fight to the enemy’s territory unlike these Beghairats in Uniform whose only professional achievements are stripping men & women of their own country naked! Give this SHO a “Nishan-e-Haider”!
Another said, “Heartbreaking to see the fascist treatment being meted out to even our war heroes. Air Commodore Sajjad Haider is one of our living legends. All he was doing was standing on a footpath with a placard. PDM and handlers are suffocating the life energy of Pakistan.…”
Sajjad Haider sb is bravery and valor personified who took the fight to the enemy's territory unlike these Beghairats in Uniform whose only professional achievements are stripping men & women of their own country naked!
Give this SHO a "Nishan-e-Haider"! pic.twitter.com/hdKpxxmP4k https://t.co/3f1fm9NjPb
— Dr. Durrani (@NafeesRehmanDr) May 14, 2023
PTI too shared the video and called the act ‘incredibly shameful’.
The strategic division of OSINT too condemned the behaviour of the police.
“Highly disgraceful, illegitimate, disgusting and disrespectful behaviour of @ICT_Police on orders of the PDM Coalition Government with most respect Pakistani Ace, Air Commodore Syed Sajjad Haider”, they wrote.
Highly disgraceful, illegitimate, disgusting and disrespectful behaviour of @ICT_Police on orders of the PDM Coalition Government with most respect Pakistani Ace, Air Commodore Syed Sajjad Haider. The officer has been dubbed the “saviour of Lahore & Pakistan”, leading one of the… pic.twitter.com/Olxl1xcHc0
— The STRATCOM Bureau (@OSPSF) May 14, 2023
However, not everyone thought the same.
Speaking to ThePrint over phone, Pakistani political commentator Ayesha Siddiqa, asserted that while the manhandling was uncalled for, the Islamabad police is not at fault.
“ This is a younger generation of police personnel who wouldn’t know or care about 1965. This was a red zone and the protestors were being asked to move.”
She further added that while PTI supporters, on one hand, are vandalising military properties post Imran Khan’s arrest, on the other they are also rallying in support of the war veteran.
PTI had earlier shared a tweet about the veteran taking part in the rallies in support of the Chief Justice of Pakistan.
Legendary Syed Sajjad Haider; saviour of Lahore who led the most successful air strike on main Indian airbase of Pathankot during 1965 , participated in the rally in solidarity with CJP today #I_StandWithSupremeCourt pic.twitter.com/GXZEs8muFa
— PTI (@PTIofficial) May 6, 2023