A rejoinder to Dr. Subhash Kapila’s article

Asif Haroon Raja

Indian political leaders, writers and media analysts and intelligence agencies are past masters in creating doubts and misgivings between groups, communities, political parties and institutions to fan ethnic and sectarian tensions, political polarization and foment fissiparous tendencies in neighboring countries. They also excel in creating bad blood between the two neighbors or befriending the enemy of a neighbor. They have a chronic habit of twisting facts, distorting history and padding up their write ups with white lies to make their story juicy and scandalous. They shut their eyes to their innumerable internal weaknesses but worry about all their neighboring countries particularly Pakistan. They have all along spewed poison against Pakistan since Pakistan irks them the most. 62 years have lapsed since partition of India but Indians have still not got reconciled to the existence of Pakistan. They use propaganda as a tool to weaken Pakistan from within and to malign its image in the world comity. India has a penchant for collusive collaboration to discomfit its neighbors. It has all along connived and colluded with super powers to browbeat Pakistan. India’s nexus with USA, Israel and western world enable them to easily sell their propaganda themes gainfully.

In the aftermath of 9/11, India got an opportunity to cause grievous harm to Pakistan in close collaboration with USA, UK, Israel and Afghan regime under Karzai. Propaganda warfare was accelerated to smoke screen their clandestine operations for the fulfillment of their nefarious designs against Pakistan. Indian writers have been writing copiously to defame Pakistan and its institutions particularly the Army and ISI since these two institutions trouble them the most. Pakistan nuclear program has also remained an eyesore and their chief concern. Apart from their umpteen websites spitting venom, several fake websites are also in use to give impressions to the world that people of Pakistan themselves are wary of the rulers and the Army. They have been levying host of allegations and cooking up bizarre stories to make their stance appear authentic. Of all the wacky stories the one published by one Dr. Subhash Kapila appearing on website bologe.com dated 15 November under the outlandish title “Pakistan can be saved only by Pakistanis, not by the Pakistan Army”, is the silliest. Salient features of this childish article are as under:

• Pakistan was an artificial creation by Britain carved out of Indian Empire.
• USA and China have used Pakistan as rental state to discomfit India.
• Pakistan army calls the shots in Pakistan because of patronage by USA and China.
• Pakistan Army colludes with USA and China for its own institutional gain and for pecuniary gains of the generals.
• Pakistan generals are insensitive to the economic and social needs of Pakistanis.
• Pakistan is sinking. It can be saved by people of Pakistan and not by Pakistan Army, or USA, China or India.
• Pakistan Army is rabidly anti-India.
• Indian public is strongly anti-Pakistan army since it indulges in Jihadi terrorism against India.
• Pakistan Army is targeting only those selected Taliban that had hit military targets.
• Western analysts perceive Pakistan Army as the glue which holds Pakistan together but India thinks otherwise.
• Pakistan Army suffers from medieval mindset, is retrogressive and prevents Pakistan from turning into modern democratic Islamic Republic.

The main themes of his article are:

One. Provoke Pakistanis and turn them against Pakistan Army. This has become necessary for India under the sudden changed environment when the image of the Army has shot up sky high and the whole public and all political parties are fully backing up the army in its bid to get Pakistan rid of the foreign sponsored scourge of terrorism.

Two. Create rift between public and the army and provoke it to come on the streets against the army.

Three. Force the government to stop the military operation in South Waziristan which is nearing completion, or provoke it to target friendly tribesmen like Maulvi Nazir and Gul Bahadur led tribesmen.

Four. Pakistan Army is not under the control of civil government.

Five. Create bad blood between Pakistan-USA and Pakistan-China.   

I hazard to put the jaundiced views of Subhash in correct perspective. He describes Pakistan as an artificial state oblivious of the fact that the British had wrested control of India after fighting the Muslims for over a century. But for treachery of Hindus in Battle of Plassey in 1757, battle of Seringapatam in 1799 and war of independence in 1857, the British could not have established their empire. The Muslim rulers ruled Indian subcontinent with full authority for nearly 1000 years, starting from the reign of Muhammad Bin Qasim in 712 AD. At no stage the Hindus posed any challenge to their rule. Rather they remained most loyal and humble subordinates for which they were duly rewarded. While the Muslims resented and resisted British rule, Hindus became their natural allies and both went about persecuting the Muslims and reducing their nobility to serfdom. Despite their ruthless persecution, the Muslims retained their religious identity. All India Muslim League emerged as a platform to protect interests of Muslims of India. Charismatic Muhammad Ali Jinnah in tandem with Allama Iqbal not only prevented the Muslim canoe from capsizing in the turbulent ocean of hegemonic Hindu India duly patronized by the British, but also made phenomenal efforts to navigate it safely to the shore of independence.

Britain had to abdicate in hurry since it had got economically exhausted after 2^nd World War and freedom movements had erupted in all its colonies including India. British-Hindu combine strove hard to keep India united under Congress tutelage but so high were the sentiments of Muslims of India that the British were left with no choice but to acquiesce to Jinnah’s demand to partition India. Jinnah had to contend with moth eaten and truncated Pakistan loaded with countless problems. Indian leaders accepted the partition plan with a heavy heart but nurtured the fond hope that sooner than later it would revert to Indian Union. It would have collapsed under the weight of Indian intrigues within six months as predicted by Indian wizards if it had been an artificial state. When Pakistan stood up on its own economic legs and surprised the world, India stepped up its subversive activities to keep Pakistan politically unstable and economically weak. It achieved its first major success in 1971 when it cut Pakistan into two with active assistance of former USSR. It is now working hard to disintegrate rest of Pakistan and has launched massive covert operation in connivance with USA, Israel, Britain and Afghanistan from Afghan soil. Fanciful stories of balkanization and breakup of Pakistan have been published by Indian and western media since 2004 and Balochistan, FATA and major part of NWFP inflamed. All out efforts are now in hand to destabilize Punjab. 

Having taken all possible steps to sink Pakistan, Subhash pretending to be a well wisher of Pakistan intriguingly asks as to how Pakistan should be saved from sinking. In his view USA, China and India are possible saviors, but then hastens to add that situation in Pakistan is so bleak that even these countries will not be able to save it if people of Pakistan are not interested in saving their country. He mocks at Pakistanis by saying that if they are not interested in saving Pakistan, why should India bother whether it should float or sink. He then gives a sharp twist to his weird story by lumping USA with China in one basket and terming both as imperialist powers having exploited Pakistan by using it as a rental state to serve their strategic interests. He asserts that both had provided arms to Pakistan to discomfit India. He forgets that USA has all along vied to befriend India even when Pakistan was its most allied ally and India was the strategic partner of Soviet Union. This tilt became pronounced when the Democrats under Kennedy came to power in 1961. The US and western countries rushed heavy consignments of arms to India when it was clobbered by China in the 1962 border skirmish, well knowing that its chief mentor Moscow was already providing arms to India. Inflows from two camps tilted the balance of power in favor of India.

As far as China is concerned, it had maintained excellent relations with India till as late as 1960. Hindu-Cheeni Bhai-Bhai was a popular slogan of that era. China-Pakistan relations were strained because we had joined SEATO and CENTO. Indo-Sino relations got frosty because of unwise forward policy pursued by Nehru and his aggressive intentions concerning Tibetan Himalayan region. It was essentially because of hostile policy of India, Soviet Union and Afghanistan and US tilt towards India that Pakistan was forced to lean on China in 1960s. USA betrayed Pakistan by ceasing supply of critical spare parts during the 1965 Indo-Pak war not realizing that Pakistan was totally dependent upon US weapon systems. On the other hand, Indian forces equipped with Soviets weapons continued to receive uninterrupted flow of arms from Moscow. Similar treatment was meted to Pakistan during the 1971 war in which USSR was fully backing Indian war effort. The US never came to the rescue of Pakistan when it was splintering as provided for in 1959 Karachi Agreement. The US and Canada helped India in becoming a nuclear power in 1974. Pakistan on the other hand was prevented from acquiring nuclear capability.

Soviet Union became the biggest arms supplier of India and with its active assistance. India upgraded its naval arm and vied to convert Indian Ocean into Indian lake. RAW in collusion with KGB and KHAD indulged in relentless sabotage activities against Pakistan throughout 1970s and 1980s. Throughout this period when Pakistan was enjoying best of relations with USA owing to Afghan war, neither USA nor China initiated any hostile acts against India. This was despite the fact that India was enmeshed in dozens of separatist movements and insurgencies and had plentiful vulnerabilities to exploit. Pakistan in fact never exploited India when it was weak. One example was when it was critically embroiled with China in 1962 war. Some hawks within the Establishment were in favor of activating Kashmir front but Washington advised Ayub Khan to show restraint arguing that it would mellow down India and pave the way for resolution of Kashmir dispute.

Suspecting that Pakistan was secretly indulging in nuclear program, USA punished Pakistan in 1979 by imposing harsh sanctions. Sanctions under Pressler Amendment were applied in 1990. Another set of sanctions were levied in the wake of our nuclear tests in response to Indian tests in 1998. Additional sanctions were applied in 1999 when Gen Musharraf staged a coup and took over power. In fact Pakistan has been the most sanctioned country in the world. Whenever USA doled out aid tied to stringent conditions, Pakistan had to pay a very heavy price. Pakistan never gained from US aid but was always a loser. Even now Pakistan is losing on all counts despite the propaganda that US is giving huge dozes of aid. As against $10.5 billion given over five years (2002-07), Pakistan lost $35 billion. Social costs were even more pronounced. All its sacrifices to fight US war on terror have gone down the drain under the mantra of ‘do more’ and libelous allegations. Pakistan Army and ISI in particular have been victimized on false charges. While pretending to be friend of Pakistan, USA is stabbing Pakistan in the back. Kerry-Lugar Bill, which is anti-army, is another ploy to make Pakistan subservient to its wishes. Its chief wishes are denuclearization and balkanization of Pakistan and turning it into a vassal state of India and making India a proxy super power of the region.

In contrast to the aggressive and double game of Washington against Pakistan, it has gone out of the way to please India which is its real strategic partner. It has showered India with dozens of lucrative endowments in the form of economic agreements, military deals and civil nuclear deal. Israel has now become the biggest supplier of sophisticated armaments to India. The trio is interlinked and has formed a deadly nexus to harm Pakistan. Lavish supplies have radically swung the military balance in favor of India but India is still wailing as to why Pakistan is receiving some equipment for counter terrorism which it perceives will be used against India. It will get satisfied only when Pakistan gets over awed by the burgeoning military might of Indian forces and surrenders its sovereignty.

Apart from forging strategic relations with USA and becoming its pawn, India has built close economic and military ties with China and trade is spiraling fast. With this background, it is rather strange on part of Subhash to dub USA and China as dangerous imperialist powers with which India enjoys best of relations. The only reason for this outburst could be the recent joint statement made by Obama and Chinese President in Beijing that the two are ready to play a part in finding a just solution to Kashmir dispute. It has really shocked and discomfited India since it doesn’t want any third party to interfere in 62-year old unresolved dispute which India is unprepared to resolve. If there is any country in the region that is being maltreated, it is Pakistan.  But for the Herculean efforts of Pakistan Army and the ISI, the plot makers sitting in Kabul might have succeeded in their nefarious designs. These two institutions have played a commendable role in defeating series of dangerous plans to destabilize and denuclearize Pakistan. While the ISI under Lt Gen Shuja Pasha unearthed RAW and CIA racket and took effective counter measures to block their forward advance towards sensitive areas, the Army under the radiant leadership of Gen Parwez Kayani launched dazzling operations in Malakand and Swat and now in South Waziristan and gave a death blow to the overall plan hatched by our adversaries to irretrievably embroil Pakistan Army in an un-winnable war against well, trained, well equipped and well-motivated militants and defeat it.

Clinching evidence of deep rooted involvement of RAW, RAAM and CIA in Swat, Waziristan and Balochistan has come to light. Enormously large caches of arms and equipment with Russian and Indian markings have been found from tens of caves, tunnels and houses. These agencies had been funding, training and equipping the members of Tehrik-e-Taliban since 2002 and after their several encounters with the Army they were very confident that South Waziristan would prove to be graveyard of Pakistan Army. Defeat of the army would have cleared their path towards the realization of their objectives. However, the reverses and dismantling of forts of Swat, Bajaur and South Waziristan have flabbergasted the schemers. They could not imagine in their wildest dreams that impregnable South Waziristan held by Hakimullah led Mehsuds and foreigners would collapse within one month.

Over 90% of the area, including the critical space formed by Srarogha-Ladha and Makeen has been captured. Their investment worth billions, time and effort at the cost of their primary task of stabilizing Afghanistan has gone waste. Above all, their immoral acts against an ally stand exposed. Worst of all, Afghanistan is slipping from under the feet of US-Nato forces. Return of Taliban under Mullah Omar now appears to be a real possibility. Sudden reversal of tide has unnerved India since exit of US forces in not too distant future would render its stay in Afghanistan untenable. If such a thing happens, which no more seem unlikely; India will be the biggest loser. All its high sounding plans would come down like a house of cards and its huge investment of over $2.5 billion in Afghanistan and colossal amount spent on fruitless covert operations would go waste. There will be many questions asked at home about this squandering.

Subhash is having severe gripes in his stomach as to why Pak Army did not simultaneously grapple with Hakimullah Mehsud, Maulvi Nazir, Turkistan Bhittani and Gul Bahadur in South and North Waziristan. Plot makers had hoped that militant forces would put up a united front to make the task of Pak Army difficult and complicated. Since these tribal leaders decided to stay neutral and the Army used their areas as bases of operations for launching operation against the defiant Mehsuds, Subhash chose to cast aspersions on the Army by alleging that it is nurturing Islamic fundamentalist terrorists. He turns a blind eye to the well-known linkage of Indian senior officers with Hindu terrorist organizations and their joint efforts duly supported by RAW to target Indian Muslims. ISI has been wrongfully blamed for the crimes committed by Hindu terrorists. Indian Army has become a blot on the face of shining India since its officer cadre is indulging in all sorts of immoral acts including rapes, drugs, smuggling and kickbacks in defence deals. Over 15 lacs security forces are fighting the insurgents and separatists in different parts of India for the last five decades but have been unable to defuse even a single movement. Majority of Indian nuclear and missile sites are located in the most troubled zone of India called Red Corridor, which is ungovernable.   

All the five partners in crime are suffering from acute depression because of the changed circumstances. Their excitement of seeing the endgame to their liking has fizzled out like a damp squib. Growing chatter in Indian media dwelling on breakup of Pakistan has got muffled. They are holding Pakistan Army responsible for turning their jollity into sadness and ruefully admit that but for this glue Pakistan would have certainly splintered, or at least they would have stolen the nukes. They seem to have lost their sense of balance and in utter frustration and sheer exasperation started to expectantly look towards people of Pakistan to do what they could not do for the last eight years. Subhash shows them the way and prods them to emulate the example of legal fraternity and civil society that had succeeded in first ousting Gen Musharraf and then restoring chief justice of Pakistan. He urges them to bring Pakistan Army under effective civilian control, implying that presently it is not. He forgets that India was quite comfortable with Pakistan Army when it was commanded by President Gen Musharraf who had arrogated all powers to his seat. India had in fact drawn maximum advantages from Pakistan during his rule. It is even now vying for his return to power so that Kashmir dispute could be settled in accordance with Indian wishes. Both USA and India are not happy with Pakistan Army under Kayani since it is guarding national interests with utmost devotion and unwavering resolve and keeping the hostile forces within and without at bay. The duo gets flustered when their dictates instead of being promptly obeyed are questioned and parried.                                             

Subhash has cleverly absolved the government and all other institutions of Pakistan but has made Pakistan Army his sole target for neutralization and that too by the people of Pakistan. He slyly attempts to forge friendly relationship between peoples of India and Pakistan by asserting that Indian public is anti-Pakistan Army and not anti-Pakistan. I may like to draw his attention to a clip on website in which a Hindu girl not more than 12 years old is demonizing Pakistan and its people and earnestly wishing death of Pakistan. It gives an insight to the Indian mindset how ardently they hate Pakistan. Hatred is being systematically nurtured into the minds of the Hindu youth. The hard reality is that India doesn’t want to play a role to save Pakistan but to sink Pakistan.

Dr. Subhash Kapila has put up a poor show in futilely trying to instigate the people of Pakistan to rebel against their own Army that is making them proud. It has won the hearts and minds of people of Swat where normality has returned and is now all set to help rehabilitate displaced people of South Waziristan. Kapila’s prodding might have cut some ice had this theme been sold during the dark period of Gen Musharraf when sentiments against the Army had risen. He has belled the cat at the wrong time since he seems to be suffering from paranoia as well as schizophrenia. I pray for his early recovery from these deadly diseases.

The writer is a defence and political analyst based at Rawalpindi and author of several books.Email:ah.raja@yahoo.com