From combat to communication: an official’s journey in Pak Army landscape

PESHAWAR: No matter how hard it is, soldiers are always trained to handle their responsibilities and tough assignments.

In Pakistan, the majority of soldiers are recruited and spend their lives in never-ending combat roles, as the country constantly faces extremism from local and international militant movements.

The military offensive, first started in 2002 in Wana, South Waziristan, against local Taliban militants and their guest fighters from Arab countries and Central Asian States, is yet to be concluded. It brought immense losses to Pakistan, both in terms of human casualties and financial losses.

Some military officers are skilled enough for whatever roles they are assigned; they handle them successfully.Like many other unsung heroes, Fazal Mehmood has spent his life in combat missions. Born on December 23, 1972, he retired last month as lieutenant colonel after his hectic life in the armed forces.

The military authorities awarded Lt-Col Fazal Mehmood with Tamgha-i-Imtiaz (Military) for his outstanding services to the nation and armed forces.Belonging to the Mehsud tribe in the militancy-affected South Waziristan tribal region, Fazal Mehmood had the honour to participate in three military operations, including Operation Rah-e-Haq, Operation Rah-e-Raast, and Operation Rah-e-Nijat, conducted against militants in the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and Swat.

Someone has rightly stated that there is no age limit for education. It was a miracle that in-spite of his military engagements, he pursued his dreams of becoming a doctor by doing his PhD in “The Afghan Civil War and Regional Implications” from Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad.

Before that, he had done M.Sc and then M.Phil in International Relations from Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad.The military authorities knew his strong communication skills and utilised his knowledge and expertise in countering propaganda of their opponents in the media.

For the young officers in the armed forces, particularly those assigned tasks in the Inter-Services Relations (ISPR), Lt-Col Dr Fazal Mehmood is the best person to learn from, as he had represented the army in very difficult circumstances, but managed to successfully counter propaganda of their rival factions.

He made access to the media people covering the war against terror in the region. He understood the nature of each and every journalist and could easily convince them to use the information he thought would be useful for his organisation and the country.

He neither dictated to journalists nor used harsh language to put pressure on the media people.The military officer knew the techniques and skills of how to counter the vitriolic narrative of their enemies and neutralise their deadly moves through viable tactical and strategic planning and execution.

He was always well-versed in various aspects and facets of media handling and tended to effectively employ it for the achievement of the desired goals.Possessing excellent communication skills combined with the ability to handle multi-tasking and fast-paced projects within prescribed timelines.

During the military occupations in Fata and Swat, Lt-Col Dr Fazal acted as a bridge between the military and the local population. He provided effective and timely assistance to the people displaced by military operations.

As stated, he was very helpful to the media and undertook extensive field trips of the national/international media to the war zones and would share first-hand information with the media from the war battlefield.

Being a son of the soil, he played a role in establishing local peace committees against the menace of militancy and terrorism in the conflict zones and organising public rallies to mould public opinion against militants in the militancy-plagued region.

After his PhD, he became an instructor and started teaching at the Pakistan Military Academy, Kakul.He succeeded in establishing the International Relations Department at Pakistan Military Academy, Kakul, and remained its head.

Lt-Col Dr Fazal served the military in various capacities but mostly represented in the media and remained spokesman for Sindh Rangers (Karachi); military spokesman, 7 Division, North Waziristan; 17 Division, Swat; 37 Division, Swat; GSO-II (Media Management), ISPR Directorate; 9 Division, South Waziristan, and 12 Division, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (Muzaffarabad).