India can lessen its anxieties by truthfully working for peace

Asif Haroon Raja

During his last meeting with Obama in Washington on 11 April, Manmohan once again became hysterical and wailed loudly that Pakistan was contriving to pursue terrorism as a policy option relentlessly because of which India felt insecure. He repeated the same litany of complaints and grievances against Pakistan which he had expressed during his previous meeting with Obama, saying that Pakistan was still defiant and refused to take dictates from India He cautioned that if Asia had to be made safe from the scourge of terrorism, Pakistan will have to be effectively bridled. He again offered India’s complete support for the fulfillment of its regional objectives including taming Pakistan. He suggested immediate decapitation of Laskar-e-Taiba (LeT) and outfit of Ilyas Kashmiri since the duo was operating with impunity. He strongly pleaded that US-NATO forces must not leave Afghanistan before accomplishing all the objectives. He reminded him of his promise to make India a key player in Afghan affairs.

He stressed upon his host not to trust Pakistan since it was linked with al-Qaeda and extremist Taliban. Spectre of Pakistan’s nukes was vehemently raised. He expressed his displeasure for inviting Pakistan PM to attend nuclear summit since in his perception Pakistan was not only a nuclear proliferating state, its nuclear assts were highly vulnerable. He beseeched Obama to save the world from nuclear holocaust by taking away Pak nukes without any further loss of time. He warned that he had credible intelligence that the nukes or fissile material were on the verge of falling in extremists hands. He pricked his imagination about the scenario in which terrorists would be in possession of dirty bombs. He hit the right chord since he knew that the scenario painted by him was Obama’s nightmare.

He played up LeT describing it a bigger threat than al-Qaeda. He bitterly complained that this dangerous outfit threatening world security was still being patronized by ISI and that no progress had been made to arrest Mumbai attackers. He stressed that unless this was done Indian public would not be mollified. The reality is that India wants to hide all its crimes perpetrated against Pakistan and particularly after 9/11 behind the smokescreen of Mumbai carnage. This is the only subterfuge it has to portray itself as victim of terrorism and to scuttle mounting world pressure. The world has however begun to see the ugly face of India and find its dillydallying tactics not to recommence talks with Pakistan childish and motivated.

Much to the chagrin and disappointment of Manmohan and Pakistan bashers who have consistently portrayed Pak nuclear program negatively, Obama as well as others who matter didn’t buy the story that Pak nukes are vulnerable to falling in wrong hands. Obama gave a clean health bill to Gilani asserting that Pak nukes are in safe hands and the US is more than satisfied with comprehensive measures taken to safeguard nuclear assets. He candidly told slimy Manmohan that Washington now see Pakistan as an ally and part of the solution and not part of the problem. 

India is pretending to be victim of terrorism not realizing that the ever expanding flames of terrorism are threatening the whole world. Pakistan has suffered the most. This is evident from state of casualties incurred and progress achieved in containing terrorism. India has done nothing except to fan the flames of terrorism in Pakistan and to shed tears of crocodile while delivering fatal blows. But for India’s deceitful role in abetting and aiding terrorists the scourge of terrorism could have been controlled by now. Pakistan had to not only fight foreign sponsored and equipped terrorists but also had to remain watchful of Indian aggressive designs.

Hundreds of RAW sponsored terrorist and suicide attacks have taken place in Pakistan resulting in heavy human and material losses. Pakistan has collected irrefutable evidence of involvement of RAW in supporting TTP, Swat Taliban and Baloch rebels. Pakistan should have kicked up lot of dust and approached world powers and the UN and exposed India as the biggest abettor of terrorism and. With the help of all South Asian states that have remained victim of Indian machinations and terrorism, the world should have been told that India has become the biggest threat to Pakistan’s integrity and that it should be reined in and to be declared a terrorist state.

However, since Pakistan neither knows Chankyan tactics nor believes in it, rather than taking advantage of changing geopolitical situation, it again sought resumption of talks that had been suspended in November 2008 in the wake of Mumbai attacks. India was reminded that the two countries had gone to war three times and India had been resorting to blackmailing and coercive tactics without achieving any results. Hence the best way to move forward was to resume talks and settle old disputes through negotiations. India has now reluctantly agreed to restart suspended talks without pre-conditions under pressure from USA.              

While India has no objection to US meddlesome role in Afghan and Pakistan affairs, it is allergic to mediation or facilitation by any outside power on Kashmir or water issues. It preaches bilateralism without finding a solution to any Indo-Pak dispute. Pakistan doesn’t want the US to exert its influence to bring about thaw in strained Indo-Pak relations entirely created by India. What it desires is resolution of Kashmir and water disputes which are breeding extremism and terrorism and becoming a cause for the fourth round. Amicable solution of these two disputes would automatically lower the temperature and shed off clouds of suspicions, mistrust and antagonism and pave way for better understanding and friendship. Even recommencement of composite dialogue would prove illusory if India doesn’t bring a change in its overall behavior of dogmatism and belligerence, particularly its uncompromising stand on Kashmir. Aman-ki-Asha is a farce to hoodwink the world, scuttle world pressure and buy time.  

If India wants to lessen its anxieties and is truthfully interested to bring an end to Indo-Pak antagonism and to promote peace in the region, as a first step it should get reconciled to existence of Pakistan. It should cease reign of terror launched by its security forces in Indian Held Kashmir against hapless unarmed Kashmiris and stop violation of human rights against hapless Kashmiris seeking justice for the last 63 years. India must realize that for the resolution of problem of terrorism in South Asia and to diminish Indo-Pakistan antagonism, Kashmir dispute will have to be settled in accordance with UN resolutions. It should immediately close Pakistan specific four Indian Consulates, intelligence centres and training camps in Afghanistan and also discontinue covert operations from Afghan soil against Pakistan in league with Mossad-RAAM.

India is stopping flow of rivers water, building dams on three rivers exclusively meant for Pakistan in violation of 1960 Indus Basin Treaty and stealing water using powerful pumps. It intends to reduce Pakistan’s agricultural lands barren. This has grave implications for Pakistan and amounts to water terrorism. This unholy practice must be ended lest the situation flares up into a nuclear flashpoint. 

Indian media, think tanks and hawks within political parties and Hindu organizations spewing poison against Pakistan should be reined in and a harmonious climate created. Practice of arms race should be curbed and regional military balance maintained. While India has every right to develop close relations with USA, Israel, Afghanistan or any other country, it should avoid making a bloc against Pakistan to isolate and harm it. In short, India being a bigger and more resourceful country should affect a radical change in its vindictive and aggressive profile to become a well wisher and a helper. This change will help India in earning respect of all its smaller neighbors presently fearful of evil designs of India.