by Muhammad Mohsin Iqbal
History bears eloquent testimony to the immutable truth that no enemy—whether marching openly with banners flying or striking from the shadows with deceit—can ever be mastered without the full and harmonious support of every pillar of the state. Should even a single unit falter or withhold its strength, the grand design for victory collapses. From the sacred struggles of 1948 through successive trials down to the present day in 2025, whenever hostile forces have assailed Pakistan, they have met a resolute and befitting reply. Yet these triumphs have never sprung from military prowess alone; they have drawn their deepest sustenance from the unbreakable solidarity of the people. Without such popular resolve, no enduring success against adversity can be conceived.
Our foremost adversary has revealed itself time and again as both cunning and craven. India, though compelled to taste crushing defeat in honourable, open warfare, has retreated into the darkness of proxy conflicts and cowardly subterfuge. It orchestrates its designs sometimes from Afghan territory and at other times by exploiting and misleading vulnerable souls in Balochistan, turning them into instruments against the Pakistani state, its gallant forces, and its innocent citizens. These acts are not the deeds of brave soldiers but the machinations of those who fear direct confrontation.
The people of Pakistan, hailing from every province and walk of life, have now seen through this veil of deception. They recognise these elements as true enemies of the homeland—traitors who would barter the nation’s future for foreign patronage. Those voices that once sought to drive a wedge between the citizenry and the armed forces have been exposed. The soldiers, officers, and personnel of Pakistan’s army and law enforcement agencies are flesh of our flesh and blood of our blood—sons, brothers, and fathers of this very soil, not agents of any foreign power. When they fall martyr to terrorist bullets, it is Pakistan itself that bleeds. This realisation has rent asunder the curtains of propaganda. Public sentiment has awakened, transforming quiet grief into open defiance.
In this awakening, the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have emerged as a shining beacon of resilience. Long having borne the brunt of violence, they stand silent no more. Along Kohat Road, in the historic lands of Bara, throughout Khyber Agency, and in the bustling streets of Peshawar, ordinary citizens have taken to the walls with chalk and conviction. These are not orchestrated slogans but heartfelt declarations from the common man and woman. They proclaim the total rejection of the terrorist ideology of Fitna-ul-Kharij—a deviant creed that cloaks barbarism in false piety.
As the Almighty declares in the Holy Quran: “And what is [the matter] with you that you do not fight in the cause of Allah and for the oppressed among men, women, and children who say, ‘Our Lord, take us out of this city of oppressive people…’” (Surah An-Nisa, 4:75). This divine call resonates deeply today, urging believers to stand firmly against oppression and protect the innocent. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) warned of such fitna-makers, describing groups who would recite the Quran beautifully yet whose deeds remain evil, departing from the faith as an arrow leaves its target. He declared blessed those who confront them, for they are the worst of creation. Another noble Hadith instructs: “Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or oppressed.” When asked how to help the oppressor, the Prophet replied, “By preventing him from oppression.” These timeless words guide the nation: true faith demands halting tyranny, not enabling it.
The public fury burns bright against such bloodshed. Masterminds of this terrorist activities stand condemned as murderers of the innocent, their hands drenched in the sacred blood of security personnel, policemen, revered scholars, and countless civilians. The terrorists of Fitna-ul-Kharij have claimed over ninety-four thousand Pakistani lives—a staggering toll of martyrs whose sacrifice steels the national will. When ordinary citizens themselves inscribe these messages of rejection, it signals a profound and irreversible shift. The people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, ever brave and steadfast, now align unequivocally with peace, national unity, and the stability of the state. They declare with one voice that terrorism and the Khawarij ideology shall find no refuge upon this blessed land.
This noble struggle, however, cannot remain confined to any single region or institution. From the pulpit to the universities, from intellectuals to poets, from the political stage to the media, all schools of thought must play their full and active part. Every voice of influence and every platform of expression must rise in unison to reinforce the message of national unity, expose the enemy’s designs, and nurture a collective consciousness rooted in peace and patriotism.
These are not fleeting scenes but enduring testaments to a nation’s maturing consciousness. The enemy may continue its schemes, striking from afar or through proxies, yet it confronts a people reconciled in purpose. United under the banner of faith, sovereignty, and self-respect, Pakistan draws strength from both divine guidance and its own resilient spirit. History, which has chronicled many trials, now inscribes a new and hopeful chapter—one authored not solely by warriors in the field but by the awakened conscience of an entire people, determined to bequeath to their children a homeland secure, prosperous, and free from the scourge of fear. In this collective stand lies the surest promise of triumph, for when the nation stands as one, no external cunning or internal betrayal can ultimately prevail.
