The Pakistan Army is not merely an institution; it is one of the most important pillars of Pakistan’s national defence and security. For decades, its officers and soldiers have stood at the frontiers of the country, faced grave threats and made the ultimate sacrifices for the motherland. Thousands of Pakistani families have lost their sons in the service of the nation. Their courage, discipline and sacrifices constitute an important part of our national history and deserve the respect of every Pakistani.

No isolated incident involving an individual officer should ever be allowed to diminish, erase or overshadow these sacrifices.

It is therefore deeply concerning that the recent incident at a private university in Rawat, Islamabad, involving students and a serving Army Lieutenant Colonel is being highlighted and circulated back-to-back on social media, often without complete knowledge of the facts, without knowing the actual circumstances and, most importantly, without waiting for the findings of any inquiry. This approach is neither responsible nor in the national interest.

Before the facts are established and before the relevant authorities have reached their conclusions, repeatedly turning an individual incident into a national social-media narrative can create perceptions that may later prove extremely difficult to correct.
This attitude and behaviour must be restrained.

Pakistan is passing through an exceptionally difficult period. The country is confronting serious economic pressures, unemployment, inflation, declining purchasing power, brain drain and several other structural challenges that have weakened the national economy and generated frustration and uncertainty, particularly among our young people.

At such a sensitive time, every responsible citizen must understand the consequences of repeatedly amplifying emotionally charged incidents.

We must ask ourselves: What are we achieving by repeatedly turning a private incident into a national controversy before the facts are known?
The question deserves serious reflection.

Pakistan is already experiencing one of the strongest political and social divides in its history. Political emotions are high, society is deeply polarised, and our youth are highly active and influential on social media. In such an environment, even a small incident can acquire a meaning far greater than the original event.

A disagreement between individuals can remain a matter between those individuals. But when social media repeatedly presents it as a confrontation between students and the Pakistan Army, it can quickly develop into an institutional and political controversy.

That is where the real danger begins.
History has repeatedly demonstrated that national crises do not always begin with events that appear large at the beginning. Sometimes, a small incident becomes a symbol of accumulated anger, frustration and division. Once such emotions take hold, they can acquire a momentum of their own.

Pakistan has experienced the devastating consequences of political polarisation and national division before. The tragedy of 1971 remains one of the most painful lessons in our national history. We should never forget that the disintegration of a country is not an overnight phenomenon. It is preceded by growing mistrust, political division, alienation, emotional distance and the gradual weakening of the bonds that hold a federation together.
We must learn from history rather than repeat its warnings.

The present incident should therefore be viewed seriously, but also with wisdom and restraint.
If any individual has acted improperly, the matter should be investigated fairly and transparently, and the law should take its course. Students involved in the incident deserve dignity and a fair opportunity to present their position. At the same time, an individual officer’s conduct must not automatically be presented as the conduct of the entire Pakistan Army.

The distinction is fundamental.
The Army’s sacrifices, its role in national defence and the services rendered by generations of soldiers cannot reasonably be judged through one private incident involving one individual.

Likewise, the conduct of a few students should never be used to portray Pakistan’s entire youth as disrespectful or hostile toward national institutions.
Both the institution and the youth deserve protection from dangerous generalisation.
The greatest concern, however, is what may happen if this incident becomes a spark among young people.

The youth of Pakistan are our greatest national asset. They are the future leadership of the country. But young people are also highly sensitive to issues of dignity, justice, fairness and institutional behaviour. When political polarisation, economic frustration, unemployment, social anxiety and misinformation converge, even a small incident can acquire enormous emotional energy.

And when sparks ignite the youth, they rarely remain confined to the place where they originated.

A university campus can become a city-wide issue. A city-wide issue can become a national controversy. And a national controversy, when combined with political polarisation, can deepen divisions that may take generations to heal.
This is why the Rawat incident should not be allowed to become another instrument of political confrontation.

Social media has an enormous responsibility in this regard.
Journalists, commentators, political activists, influencers and ordinary users must exercise extraordinary restraint. Repeatedly circulating videos, allegations, provocative commentary and unverified claims may generate attention and engagement, but they can also generate anger, mistrust and confrontation.
Social media must not become a courtroom where facts are determined before an inquiry has even been completed.
Nor should every incident involving an individual member of the armed forces automatically be converted into a narrative against the Army as an institution.

The institutional image of the Pakistan Army must be kept separate from the alleged conduct of any individual officer. If an officer has committed an offence, accountability should follow. But accountability of an individual should not become an excuse to discredit an entire national institution that has served and sacrificed for Pakistan for decades.

At the same time, protecting the prestige of the Army does not mean suppressing legitimate questions. Strong institutions do not fear fair inquiry. Transparent accountability, where required, strengthens institutional credibility.

The same principle applies to students.
If students have legitimate grievances, they should be heard. If any student has violated the law, the matter should also be dealt with according to law. But the youth as a whole must not be portrayed through the actions of a few individuals.

Pakistan needs balance, not confrontation.
At a time when the country is struggling with economic difficulties, unemployment, inflation, brain drain and declining opportunities for its young people, we should be concentrating our national energy on rebuilding the economy, creating employment, retaining our educated youth and restoring confidence in the future.

Instead, we are repeatedly allowing isolated incidents to consume national attention and deepen political divisions.
This is not the Pakistan our young generation deserves.

Our young people need hope, education, employment and a sense of belonging. They need to believe that Pakistan can provide them with a future worth staying for. If every disagreement is transformed into a political confrontation, we risk further weakening the very social fabric upon which economic recovery and national development depend.

We must therefore understand the difference between accountability and institutional hostility.
Calling for an impartial inquiry is not an attack on the Army. Protecting the dignity of students is not an attack on national institutions. Holding an individual accountable is not an attack on the institution to which that individual belongs.

Similarly, respecting the Army’s sacrifices does not mean defending every individual action.
A mature nation must be capable of doing all of these things simultaneously.

Let the inquiry establish the facts. Let the law determine individual responsibility. Let the students be heard with dignity. Let the Army’s institutional prestige and sacrifices be respected. And let social media exercise restraint until the facts are known.

Pakistan cannot afford another spark.
We have serious economic problems to solve. We have millions of young people who need employment and opportunity. We have an urgent need to retain our educated and talented citizens. We have inflation, economic uncertainty and institutional challenges that require our collective attention.
At such a moment, responsible citizenship demands that we reduce tensions rather than multiply them.

The Pakistan Army must continue to be respected for its sacrifices and national role. The youth must be respected for their aspirations and dignity. Individual wrongdoing, wherever established, must be addressed through due process.
But no one should be allowed to turn an isolated private incident into a confrontation between Pakistan’s youth and the Army.

History has already given us painful lessons about what happens when mistrust, division and alienation are allowed to grow unchecked.

We must not wait for another tragedy to understand the warning.
When sparks ignite the youth, they do not remain sparks for long.
They can spread through campuses, communities and society, particularly when political divisions, economic frustration and social-media amplification provide the fuel.

And if that fire is allowed to spread, its consequences may reach far beyond a university campus and ultimately threaten the social cohesion, stability and unity of the federation itself.
Pakistan has already paid a heavy price for division.We cannot afford to pay another.

Let us establish the facts before forming judgments, protect the dignity of our youth, respect the sacrifices of our armed forces, hold individuals accountable where necessary, and above all, protect the unity and integrity of Pakistan.

Dr Alamdar Hussain Malik
Advisor Academic , University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Swat.
Former Financial advisor, Finance Division, Government of Pakistan