Caught Between Two Fires: The Silent Suffering of Ordinary People

The village was surrounded before dawn.

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Boots crushed the dry earth, rifles were raised, and fear spread faster than the dust in the air. The army had arrived searching for Taliban fighters.

Intelligence suggested that the village might be harboring sympathizers, and as often happens in conflict zones, suspicion fell not on armed men but on ordinary villagers.

An elderly man was brought forward for questioning. His white beard and trembling hands told the story of a life spent enduring hardship rather than creating it. Yet, in that moment, he carried the weight of the entire village on his frail shoulders.

A senior army officer stepped forward and began the interrogation.

“What do you think about the Pakistan Army?” the officer asked.

The old man replied calmly, choosing his words with care:

“The Pakistan Army is our protector. We respect our army deeply.”

The officer looked at him closely and asked again,

“Do you consider us infidels?”

The old man was visibly startled. “God forbid!” he said immediately.

“We cannot even imagine such a thing.”