By Shahid Shah

September 6th 7th and 8th have great historic significance for Pakistan as on these days the Pakistani nation did something that few achieved in history. Pakistan successfully defended its territory against an all-out attack and defeated an enemy that was much larger and better equipped.

It is sad that many In Pakistan dismiss the great sacrifices the brave men of the Pakistan Armed Forces made under the propaganda of what underwent at Gibraltar. The enemy could have inflicted a lot of damage if a vigilant response would not have been given. The answer to the question that why Defense Day is celebrated lies in the significance of this day as it recalls the sacrifices of the whole nation and the valor shown by our Armed Forces. Imagine a Pakistan without Lahore or Sialkot, both of which are economic hubs of the country. What devastation it would have caused on the economy. If on that day Pakistan had not been able to defend itself, we would have been sitting in a far worse-off country. A country where poverty would be even higher facilities even more strained.

Defense Day in Pakistan is celebrated to cherish all that is great in the country. It honors the sacrifice of not just those in 1965 but rather those in the entire history of ths nation who have devoted blood and sweat. Those brave men who did not care for the enemy, put faith in their belief in Pakistan. On 6th September, the Indian commanders bragged that they would have morning tea in Lahore while beginning the attack and had to face a miserable defeat. It was the brave sacrifices of our soldiers that prevented this from happening.

It is nationalism that is celebrated on 6th September. The nationalism that forces you to put the benefit of the nation and those around you before your own. Every year when we celebrate this day the same spirit to serve the nation and serve Islam ignites again our younger generation recognizes the value of struggles of our forefathers. It’s the kind of thinking that is desperately needed in these perilous times when our enemies have launched a rancorous hybrid war using their stooges in the country.