Denial culture: How Pakistan’s ‘disowning’ of its soldiers continues to haunt national morale
Denying honour to soldiers has been deep-rooted in Pakistan's culture. After the 1999 Kargil War, the country called its own troops Kashmiri “freedom fighters”. Now, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, in his poignant speech in the parliament, admitted Islamabad's apathy towards fallen soldiers.
Pak Def Min highlights country apathy towards soldiers
Speaking in the parliament, expressed regret over the lack of honour given to the fallen soldiers. In a poignant address, Asif remarked, “We don’t even attend their funerals.” The country has a history of deflecting, be it internal conflicts in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa or even with neighbouring India.
No honour for fallen Pakistan soldiers
The seemingly disappointed defence minister mentioned the patriotism of the troop and dishonour they receive after sacrificing their lives for the nation.
During the 1999 Kargil war, Islamabad refused to accept that their soldiers were killed in action; they remained firm on their stance that those involved in the conflict were Kashmiri “freedom fighters”. Over a decade later, the names of 453 personnel were acknowledged and officially listed on the army website.
They were Kashmiri “freedom fighters”: Pervez Musharraf
In November 2010, in a silent move, the Pakistan Army updated the "Shuhada" (martyrs) section of its website. This addition included names of troops from the Kargil war from the Northern Light Infantry (NLI).
The country, which initially called its own troops Kashmiri “freedom fighters”, later declared the Kargil War a military success. The then-President, Pervez Musharraf, even mentioned it in his memoir.
Recognised BUT 25 years later
About 25 years later, in a public rally in 2024, Field Marshal Asim Munir also lauded the troops for fighting for their nation.
In 1999, as the country refused to recognise their troops, India gave the fallen soldiers from the enemy's side a respectful funeral.
Selective attendance at funerals
While the defence minister admitted that state officials often skip funerals of their soldiers, a contrasting scene had unfolded in May 2025. Following the launch of Operation Sindoor, in which India targeted terror hubs and eliminated over 100 terrorists, Pakistan claimed civilians were killed. What sketched an obscure picture was a visual from a funeral at Lashkar-e-Taiba's (LeT) headquarters in Pakistan's Muridke, alongside Abdul Rauf, a proscribed terrorist, were Pakistan army personnel.
The coffins at the funeral were seen wrapped in Pakistan's national flag, which indicated the deceased were being accorded state honours. As Islamabad claimed, Indian strikes killed civilians.
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