Painful Memories that Bleeds Forever
Posted on December 16th, 2018
By Afshain Afzal
Pakistan was once recognized as a unique nation spread over two strategically located Eastern and Western parts, separated by a distance of 1000 kilometers. The binding force that cemented unity and harmony between these two predominantly Muslim nations was ideology of Pakistan. The story of this love between Bengal as Eastern part of Pakistan and Balochistan, North Western Frontier Province, Punjab and Sindh as well Jammu and Kashmir including Northern Areas as West part of Pakistan dates back to the ancient times even older than the times of Prophet of Islam Hazrat Mussa Alhe Salam (Prophet Mosses). The Muslims of these two parts struggled hard under the leadership of father of the nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah to create single sovereign independent Islamic state, which finally came into being on 15 August 1947.
The celebration of 15th August as ‘Independence Day’ faded its colours after the separation of Eastern part as an independent country ‘Bangladesh’ on 16 December 1971. Interestingly, 15th August continued to be celebrated as ‘Independence Day’ by the masses in Bangladesh but the enemies of Pakistan and Bangladesh could not digest it. In a tragic terrorist attack on 15 August 1975, the great Pakistani-Bengali leader Mujibur Rehman was killed along with 26 persons including his wife, brother, three sons, two daughters in law, near relatives and close associates, turning this joyful event as a sad day to recall. One of the surviving two daughters of Shaheed Sheikh Mujibur Rehman is Hasina Wajid, the present Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
There is no doubt that 16th of December 1971 was the darkest day in the history of Pakistan, which Pakistan observes every year as ‘Day of sorrow and determination to take revenge from our enemies’. On the day Pakistan lost its Eastern part in war with India. For some, the day marks as a day of relief as East Pakistani got rid of some of their grievances but many West Pakistan view the day when they lost everything as their brothers and sisters changed their identities with a heavy heart. Our common enemies could not digest that despite bitter and hard feelings between the former Pakistani nation, Pakistanis still observe 16th December as ‘Day of sorrow and determination to take revenge from our enemies’.
On 16th of December 2014, the enemies of Pakistan and Bangladesh again played with the sentiments of people of both the countries, when they chose the day of 16th of December to carryout terrorist attack on Army Public School, Warsak Road, Peshawar, martyring over 157 and injuring scores of other. Ever since the terrorist attack, the general masses are trying to observe the day associated with terrorist attack on the school. There is no doubt, the terrorist attack in Bangladesh on 15 August 1975 on the ‘Independence Day of Pakistan’ and terrorist attack in Pakistan on 16 December 2014 on the ‘Day of sorrow and determination to take revenge from our enemies’ have been carried out by the same enemies. Both the episodes are sad and those who lost their lives will always be remembered but Pakistani and Bangladeshi nation should never forget 15 August and 16 December as Day of Independence and Day of Sorrow.