Commodore J U Bhuiyan,ndc,psc ,
\nIn May 2025, when tensions with India reached a boiling point, the people of Pakistan stood united in
\nfear and hope. As fighter jets took off and army units moved into defensive positions, many believed a
\nmajor war was about to begin. But amid all the noise, one part of Pakistan's defense force stayed mostly
\nout of the spotlight\u2014the Navy.
\nThe Pakistan Air Force (PAF) played a bold and professional role during the crisis. It was quick, sharp, and
\nefficient. Their actions, planning, and readiness helped keep the situation under control. The public
\nrightly praised them, and they earned respect across the board.
\nBut after the crisis ended, something surprising happened. While the PAF did most of the actual fighting,
\nthe biggest honors and promotions went to the Army leadership. One senior Army officer was even
\npromoted to the rare and highly symbolic rank of Field Marshal. It left many people asking: Was the
\nglory given to the right place?
\nWhat many forgot was the important work being done at sea. The Pakistan Navy may not have fired a
\nmissile, but it played a crucial role in keeping the country safe and running. In modern warfare, wars are
\nnot only won by fighting, but by keeping the supply lines open. Fuel, food, weapons, spare
\nparts\u2014everything needed for survival and war comes by sea.
\nDuring the May crisis, the Navy:
\n-Made sure Pakistan\u2019s sea trade routes stayed open and safe.
\n-Watched Indian Navy movements, especially their submarines.
\n-Sent clear signals that Pakistan was ready at sea too.
\n-Protected fuel and supply ships that kept the country running.
\nIf the Navy had failed, Pakistan could have faced a fuel shortage, rising prices, and even internal panic.
\nBut they didn\u2019t fail. They did their job, quietly and professionally.
\nThis is not the first time that navies have been ignored after playing big roles. In wars around the world,
\nland battles and air strikes make for dramatic headlines. But sea power decides long-term success. The
\nBritish Navy helped save Britain in World War II. The U.S. Navy keeps world trade running today. China is
\nexpanding its navy to secure its future.
\nIt is also worth remembering that in World War II, it was the United States Air Force that truly brought
\nthe war to an end by dropping the two atom bombs on Japan. That single, powerful action forced Japan
\nto surrender and saved countless lives by avoiding a prolonged fight. While the Navy\u2019s aircraft carriers
\ncould have played a similar role by launching air strikes, in the end, it was the Air Force\u2019s courage and
\ndetermination that changed history. In that moment, the Army and Navy had very little left to do \u2014 it
\nwas the Air Force\u2019s courage and determination that changed history. You could say, one squadron from
\nthe Air Force brought the whole war to a close.
\nSo why does the Navy get so little credit?<\/p>\n
One reason is visibility. People can see jets flying or tanks moving. But a ship patrolling in the ocean?
\nThat doesn\u2019t make headlines. It\u2019s quiet work, often without explosions or camera-friendly images. But
\nthat doesn\u2019t make it any less important.
\nAlso, countries often reward visible courage more than strategic patience. A general giving a speech
\nlooks like a leader. A sailor monitoring a radar screen at midnight does not. But without that sailor, the
\ngeneral may not have a country to protect.
\nThis isn\u2019t just a Pakistan problem. Around the region, navies play quiet but critical roles. India\u2019s Navy is
\ngrowing fast and aims to control the Indian Ocean. Bangladesh is also investing in its navy to protect its
\nsea borders and national resources in the Bay of Bengal. In any future conflict in South Asia, naval power
\nwill play a key part\u2014whether people notice it or not.
\nPakistan needs to look at its full picture. The Army, Air Force, and Navy are all important. No one should
\nbe left out when it comes to appreciation and support. If the Air Force fought the skies, and the Navy
\nkept the sea open, then giving all the credit to the Army may not be fair.
\nThis doesn\u2019t mean the Army did nothing. They stood ready and played their part. But promotions and
\nmedals should reflect actual roles, not politics or tradition.
\nThe crisis of May 2025 reminded Pakistan that war is not always about shooting. It\u2019s about readiness,
\nbalance, and teamwork. The silent service\u2014the Navy\u2014did its duty. Now it\u2019s time the nation gives it the
\nrespect it deserves.
\nGlory should not be given based on noise. It should be based on need, impact, and contribution. In that
\nlight, the medal may have been placed on the wrong uniform.
\nLet us honor all who serve\u2014on land, in the air, and at sea. Let us be fair in how we remember and
\nreward.<\/p>\n
Author: Former ACNS and Pro VC of BUP<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Commodore J U Bhuiyan,ndc,psc , In May 2025, when tensions with India reached a boiling point, the people of Pakistan stood united in fear and hope. As fighter jets took off and army units moved into defensive positions, many believed a major war was about to begin. But amid all the noise, one part of Pakistan's defense force stayed mostly out of the spotlight\u2014the Navy. The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) played a bold and professional role during the crisis. It was quick, sharp, and efficient. Their actions, planning, and readiness<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":16695,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16694","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-24","category-6"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/USBnews24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16694","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/USBnews24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/USBnews24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/USBnews24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/USBnews24.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=16694"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/USBnews24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16694\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16696,"href":"https:\/\/USBnews24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16694\/revisions\/16696"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/USBnews24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/16695"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/USBnews24.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16694"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/USBnews24.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=16694"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/USBnews24.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=16694"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}