It is sweet and honorable to die for one’s country The line “Dulce et Decorum Est Pro Patria Mori” was originally written by the famous roman poet Horace, in his work the Odes, during the reign of Augustus, the Roman Emperor, in 23 BC to praise sacrifice to defend one’s motherland. And ever since Pakistan’s birth, the Armed forces and people have lived up to this maxim, and it has been ingrained into our sense of patriotism. Every year on September 6th, a Defence day is celebrated across the nation to commemorate the valiant sacrifices of those who embraced martyrdom while defending our homeland. The date also falls on the day when during the 1965 Indo-Pak war, India launched an attack on Pakistan Proper shifting the conflict from a limited war being fought in a disputed territory with military operations like Operation Gibraltar and Grand-slam by Pakistan, to a full scale war. And it was during this surprise attack that our armed forces put up a valiant resistance and fended of the Indian advance at Lahore, thanks to the glorious stand by the Armed forces of Pakistan and the support of the public, a tale of bravery and courage that has been retold and recalled many times and rightfully so, as the Indian commander had famously boasted that he would have tea at Lahore but was unsuccessful in his misadventure . This 6th September The nation commemorates the 61st anniversary of the Defence Day, and the spirit of resilience in our nation and armed forces remains the same. In the rocky north western peaks of KPK, and the dry plateaus of Balochistan our armed forces continuously fight the Indian-sponsored Fitna-al-Khawarij and Fitna-al-Hindustan, to prevent them from harming the civilians and the broader national interests of the nation. In this effort every day an Intelligence Based Operation takes place to root out those with malicious intent towards the nation, while just last year we fought off an Indian attack during the 4-day standoff in May. During all those adversities our national resolve remained strong which was key to our success in the stand off. Both the 1965 and 2025 war and standoffs had a number of parallels, such as the uncalled for escalation of events, the superior number of enemy forces and the perceived technological edge they possessed over us, but none of that mattered in front of the Valiant Armed forces people of this nation, who once again fended of the Indian aggression while conflicting a humiliating, explosive and devastating response to the enemy leading to 6 of the IAF’s jets being shot down, while The PAF suffered no visible casualties, which is encaptured in a famous phrase circulating online “6-0” . An Important aspect, is that it does not matter whether the threat comes from across an international border or from armed groups operating within the country, the responsibility to protect the lives, security and sovereignty of the nation remains. This is critical in Pakistan as it goes on to show that as citizens of Pakistan we must combat certain countries that would otherwise be considered brethren, such as Afghanistan and even terrorist and militant outfits, backed by India such as the BLA and TTP. These outfits and their acolytes blend within our society while simultaneously wishing ill for our state and working against our national interest.Since the inception of war on terror to the present day, Pakistan has suffered numerous military and civilian casualties, to the Indian-sponsored TTP and BLA alongside other terror outfits, collectively referred to as the Fitna-al-Khawarij and Fitna-al-Hindustan. However, despite all these difficulties the nation has remained steadfast and combated the malicious desires of our enemies, and will continue to do so. This spirit of steadfastness and bravery has been historically ingrained in our culture, since the birth of the nation through every difficulty and troubling time. With this regard, it becomes clear that One must be willing to give all they can, in defence of his nation, if that is the need of the hour. The principle is not that sacrifice is honourable only when confronting a particular nation, but that standing in defence of one’s people and homeland against aggression is itself an act of courage and devotion. Pakistan’s history, from the battlefields of 1947 to the sacrifices made during the War on Terror and the continuing struggle against militancy, demonstrates that this resolve has been tested and endured repeatedly. The Writer is 16 years old and currently is doing his A’levels and can be reached at ch.arhamrizwan@gmail.com
