It gives me a heartburn when just songs appear on media to enhance image of the armed forces when we have so much valuable resource materiel to project the image of our valiant armed forces for which I volunteer to direct a claim soup opera for Pakistan Television Corporation, if ISPR would be gracious to provide me with logistical support.
As a follow up to my solo bicycle ride share across the historic Ambela Pass in Buner , a site of many important battles that due to its fortress like terrain never fell to anyone militarily in the past except the brave Jawans of the Frontier Corps under its brave and bold commander Nawabzada Gen. Tariq Khan, who loyally remained amongst and close to his ethnically Pukhtun troops on the ground that he could hear their whispers and feel their pulse .
It was always the British policy that mostly officers conversant with the local terrains, language, culture and traditions were deployed at the sensitive areas. Tariq Khan as Inspector General of the Frontier Corps (FC) proved a local hunter in the jungle, who cleared the way for the subsequent deployment of the regular army to secure them .
District Buner, being the shortest gateway to the plains of Punjab and a walk over to Islamabad that gave Pakistan sleepless nights after the militants remained on constant advance, adding Buner to their gain after they spilled over from Swat in 2009. To be honest the army had the right man for the right job, a rare breed and born soldier. Sadly, such capable soldiers are no more criteria for the selection process where selectors today are misled to select soldiers of any background based on the psychiatrist’s flawed bookish knowledge then the capability of the candidate and family background to help the selectors discern a war horse from the pony .
The success of this classic military operation at Ambela is more or less attributed to the outstanding operational planning that already confused the fortified militants once Gen. Tariq Khan, mocked frontal attack from Swat under the composed and daring Brig Fiaz, via the Karakar Pass into Buner, while the swift and surprise advance was planned through the main Ambela as main thrust of the frontal attack that without deception would have proved suicidal.
Meanwhile, Mehsud Scouts sneaked in taking advantage of the darkness to dominate the vintage atop the hill overlooking the theater from Malindri Pass, an animal track on the right flank, completing the verticle envelopment. Gen. Tariq Khan with his own support staff risking their own safety and lives, ensured to be air dropped along with the SSG, indeed a daring action to secure the administrative head quarter of Daggar that gave no chance or choice to the militants except to run for their lives and the military operation was over within four days not even a week allowing the regular army to move in to subsequently secure the cleared areas .
I send my best wishes and greetings from my bicycle to the brave commander and his troops not forgetting to pay my humble rich tributes to the Martyrs , whose brave action at the historic Ambela pass is reminiscent of the Pak Army military brilliance that made history at Ambela that the futue generations will revisit in the history books to study their magnificent war tactics that resulted into quick clearance of the areas,
Before closing, I must not not forget being from Swat, the sacrifices of the people of Swat, Dir, Buner, Shangla and Bajauar where especially the KPK Police, Levies and the FC remained in the forefront by paying a high price both with their lives and economic losses through the largest Internal displacement from their areas and home without whose support and sacrifices, achieving peace would have remained an elusive dream. . . Long Live Pakistan, Pak Army And The Resilient Pakistani Nation 🇵🇰.