And yet out of eternity, a thread separates itself on the blackness, a horizontal thread that fumes a little with pallor upon the dark.”

— The Ship of Death, D.H. Lawrence

Even as “Operation Rebel Hunt” is never declared officially closed, the nation still mourns the BDR carnage and pays homage to the memory of the slain heroes who courted martyrdom with their boots on, the trauma of the tragedy in blood-soaked Pilkhana is far from over during last four years for those directly and personally affected.

The trauma has only intensified, because the nation, still flummoxed over the issue has failed to placate their agony and has only been able to give them empty words. As a result, with every passing day, cynicism is building up, the mystery is thickening and confusion is mounting. In tandem, the clamour for justice is reaching a crescendo.

Barely two months ago when we ushered in democracy in 2008, we thought we had reached the summit. But alas! The ascent of one ridge only revealed the next daunting challenge. The nation has been overtaken by a storm following the BDR bloodbath, and it now appears that the interested groups and politicians are vying for control of a series of sophistries over the issue. A visible gap can be discerned in their stances with regard to the tragic happening.

The architects of our independence gave us a great country but we little men, mired in mean practices and petty politics, are destroying their legacy. With the country’s political culture hardly changed, democracy is merely a numbers game and a caricature of itself. No wonder the national firmament is again overcast with gloom darker than night.

With the tragic assassination of a good number of experienced officers, the country faces nothing less than a national crisis, which ought to be dealt by an approach commensurate with its gravity. The bravery of the army officers, who left a lesson in making a rational and moral choice before they tasted the kiss of death, must be emulated by the nation in its own interest. That will help the nation in setting its moral standard.

In the gory trail of death and destruction in Pilkhana they indelibly inscribed with their blood the moral they upheld – the nation first, and above everything else. They cannot but be assured of their rightful place in the pantheon of national heroes.

However, the challenge of the moment for the nation is to be able to dispel the darkness enveloping us from all directions. Its syndrome can be seen in the resurrection of same culture of terror, corruption and the powerful’s high handedness denying us moderation, tolerance and an enlightened perception of life. The terrorists seem to have bared their fangs across the country after their brief hibernation.

The promised enquiry to bring out the truth seems to have lost its way as before. The government will do itself a great favour by involving a wide spectrum of political forces in bringing out the facts from the dark recesses of the tragic incident by throwing plenty of light to dispel the darkness first. So let there be light, accompanied by frankness and transparency of the politicians of all hues and shades. An investigation thus carried out will enjoy much more credibility and will not let the justice to be subverted.

Brig (retd) Hafiz is a former DG of BIISS.