The interesting twist at Anwar ul Haq Kakar’s Guard of Honor Ceremony was that the soldiers mistakenly played the national anthem of Afghanistan instead of Pakistan. This happened on August 17, 2023, when Kakar, the newly appointed caretaker prime minister of Pakistan, was being received at the Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad.
The soldiers were from the Pakistan Army’s 1st Battalion, the Frontier Force Regiment, which is traditionally responsible for providing guards of honor to visiting dignitaries. It is not clear how the mistake happened, but it is possible that the soldiers were confused because Kakar is a Pashtun, an ethnic group that is also found in Afghanistan.
The mistake was quickly corrected, and Kakar was given a guard of honor with the Pakistani national anthem. However, the incident has raised questions about the level of training and discipline in the Pakistan Army. It has also been seen as a sign of the political turmoil in Pakistan, which has been without a stable government for months.
Kakar himself has downplayed the incident, saying that it was a “human error” and that the soldiers should not be blamed. However, the incident has damaged the reputation of the Pakistan Army and has raised concerns about the country’s security.
The following are some possible explanations for the mistake:
- The soldiers may have been confused because Kakar is a Pashtun, an ethnic group that is also found in Afghanistan.
- The soldiers may have been tired or not paying attention.
- The soldiers may have been deliberately trying to make a political statement.
Whatever the reason, the mistake is a serious one and has raised questions about the level of training and discipline in the Pakistan Army. It has also been seen as a sign of the political turmoil in Pakistan, which has been without a stable government for months.
