Shah J. Choudhury
Introduction
War is never merely an exchange of bullets across borders; it is a collision of politics, power, and the quiet suffering of humanity. The decades-long rivalry between India and Pakistan, marked by several wars, has shaped not only geopolitics but also countless lives and generations. Behind the rhetoric of victory and patriotism lie graves, grief, and irreparable damage.
A Shadowed History
The seeds of conflict were sown during the Partition in 1947. The First Indo-Pak war began that same year. It was followed by wars in 1965 and 1971, and the Kargil conflict in 1999. These wars have caused massive military and civilian casualties, yet are often remembered through statistics, maps, and media slogans rather than the human cost they imposed.
Who Profits From War?
The ones who gain from war rarely step onto the battlefield.
• Political Powers: War stirs nationalism and unites people under a flag—often distracting them from internal problems. Ruling powers gain popularity and control.
• Arms Dealers and International Interests: Every bullet fired means more sales, more contracts, and billions in military trade.
• Media: Headlines, TRPs, and viral content thrive during times of conflict. Nationalist fervor becomes fuel for profits.
Who Pays the Price?
The true cost is borne by those who never asked for war:
• Soldiers and Their Families: Every fallen soldier leaves behind a broken family—grieving parents, widows, and children robbed of a future.
• Civilians in Border Areas: Displacement, destruction, fear—these become a way of life. Homes turn into ruins, and futures into uncertainty.
• Human Bonds: Once-shared culture, language, and history become fractured. War turns neighbors into enemies and silence into suspicion.
Are Corpses Just Numbers?
In the 1971 war, over 90,000 Pakistani soldiers surrendered. Thousands from both sides lost their lives. But behind each number is a name, a face, a dream unfulfilled.
Wars may end with treaties, but the mourning continues for years. The cost of a corpse is not in body count—but in broken hearts and lost generations.
Conclusion
Even today, when tensions rise, some voices still romanticize war—as if it were a path to glory. But the truth is stark: no one truly wins a war. Victory that stands upon corpses is a defeat in disguise.
And the real question remains—are we ready to confront that truth?
Stay well and love.
