LoC, WB shelling upsets diplomatic community

ISLAMABAD: The diplomatic community is becoming increasingly worried about the serious violations on the Line of Control (LOC) and the Working Boundary (WB) by the Indian forces resulting in martyrdom of innocent people on this side of the fence. The ambassadors/high commissioners and diplomats posted in Islamabad are quite upset at the development.
The guests attending reception for commemoration of 93rd Victory Day of Turkey hosted by ambassador Sadiq Babur Girgin and Armed Forces attaché Captain (N) Halid Kepecioglu kept on discussing the explosive situation at the LOC and WB due to unprovoked firing by the Indians. They were of the view that if South Asia becomes the theatre of bigger war then no other country but India would be responsible for it.
The Indian high commissioner Dr. TCA Raghvan who was earlier summoned by the Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhary to lodge protest about the serious violation of 2003 ceasefire by India earlier in the day also turned up at the reception but he remained tight-lipped about what transpired in his meeting with the Foreign Secretary.
“It was a meeting just like the other meetings,” he maintained. Former foreign minister Gohar Ayub Khan was found trying to teach him diplomatic intricacies. Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral Zaka ullah was the chief guest and the national anthems of the two brotherly countries were played on his arrival. It was followed by the cake cutting ceremony. The huge backdrop of the stage had words engraved in Urdu as “Two brotherly countries and two brethren Armed Forces.”
The skill to fight and defend their motherland by the Turkish Armed Forces was displayed through documentaries. Ambassador Sadiq Babur Girgin read out the message of Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that he has delivered on the day. Captain (N) Halid Kepecioglu delivered his speech in Urdu, Turkish and English.
He reminded the guests that during the independence war the Turk nation and its military made extraordinary efforts for the nation’s survival under the leadership of Mustafa Kamal Ataturk and gained victory over armies far stronger than it.
This victory proved to the whole world that nothing can stand in the way of Turk nation’s belief in independence and their love has for their land, he said.
He said that with the aim to securing peace and security in the world, the Turkish troops are on duty in many countries all over the world. “We hope these efforts will create a world of lasting peace, freedom and security.”
“We are aware of the fact that if we can celebrate this special day, it is thanks to material assistance and prayers of the Muslim people of this territory. “Nearly 90 years before at the beginning of Turk independence war, late Alama Muhammad Iqbal made a speech at Lahore and at the end of his speech, the Muslim of this area, mothers, fathers, grandfathers and grandmothers sent to Turkish nation all they had; their money, their gold, their jewelries.
“As I remember from that speech at the end one mother raised her baby and asked the crowd: ‘Is there anyone who wants to buy my child? I am selling him because I want to send this money to the Turkish nation.” With the gold and the money the Turks bought rifles, guns and won the war. “The Turks haven’t forgotten the favour of the people of Pakistan and we never will,” he concluded his remarks amid thunder of applause.
Among others, former CNS Admiral Asif Sandheela, new Saudi ambassador Abdullah Marzouk Al-Zahrani, chairman Senate’s standing committee on defence Senator Mushahid Hussain, former CNS Admiral Saeed, dean of diplomatic corps and ambassador of Argentine Rodolfo J Martin Saravia attended the reception.