Bashoo Baloch
Insurgencies, unrest and disquiet do take place in States which are then normally pacified by undertaking administrative measures ameliorative to people involved in raising the fang of unrest under one pretext or other. However, such unpleasant situations when aided and abetted by sovereign states across the border take time to get settled. Sometimes circumstances get complicated as well. Meddlesome role of any hue spoils the situation to the extent that regional peace is sometimes also jeopardized. Indo-china war and many other similar situations can be quoted in which external hands spoiled the internal national worries of countries. Countries with ethnic, racial, cultural and lingual diversity do face small frictions within their demography and are then settled accordingly. As India has vast diversity so has Pakistan. Small irritants emanating due to diversity are continually handled from time to time and subsequently sink for good. Ever since some internal displeasure took place in Balochistan province, anti-Pakistan external forces jumped into the turf with exploitative tendencies. Pakistan had already irreparably suffered in 1971 when Indian aggression had done away with its integrity.
With the appearance of small internal annoyance in Balochistan, New Delhi activated its network of spies and soon established offices (apparently missions) in Afghanistan some of these close to Pakistan border and extended its reach to Iran by establishing front organizations to ensure element of clandestineness in its objectionable activities. Pakistan has been raising this issue with India and neighbouring countries particularly with Afghanistan apprising them of Indian missions’ camouflaged activities against Pakistan. Meanwhile, sometime back Pakistan handed over a dossier to Indian authorities containing evidences revealing its interference in Balochistan and in FATA through Baloch militants and TTP elements as proxies. Indian authorities had phoo-phooed and termed it all vague and ambiguous. This time seizure of Indian national that also a senior rank officer of Indian navy has certainly thrown Indian authorities in indefensible situation.
Was Kulbhushan Yadav, serving in RAW (Reserch and Analysis Wing – Indian intelligence agency) on excursion to Pakistan or was he on Holi vacations that also to Balochistan? He was certainly there with some serious spy mission and was there to coordinate subversive and sabotage activities of insurgents against Pakistan’s integrity. He must have been supplying all relevant where-withal to Baloch militants to foment unrest in Balochistan. Investigators of this case must be having more details to reach the entire network. This is not first time India has been launching undercover agents to create problems for Pakistan or to gather information on Pakistan’s security apparatus. Being a senior rank Indian navy officer Yadav is a unique case in hands of Pakistan’s security apparatus. And this is a big achievement of Pakistan’s counter intelligence mechanism with huge evidence against India. Indian authorities’ claim Yadav being a retired navy officer holds no water as it is certainly an effort to wriggle out of the embarrassing situation.
Sarbajit Singh, Sarjeet Singh, Ravindra Kaushik and many other names can be quoted who, in the past, were detained in Pakistan under espionage charges. The latter were proved in relevant courts of law. Despite all this Indian RAW could not desist from sending spies to destabilize Pakistan. India, on the one hand claims of following non-interference doctrine on the other does invasive job against Pakistan. The latter despite all this has been cooperating with Indian authorities particularly on Pathankot incident and presently has its probe team there in India in order to see if someone misused Pakistan’s soil. Couple of weeks back Islamabad shared a terror alert forewarning New Delhi. This cooperative and helpful attitude did not make India realize about Pakistan’s sincerity in defeating terrorism with mutual efforts. Hence, Pakistani authorities are justified to say that India has stabbed Pakistan by sending Yadav to do a disservice to Pakistan’s honesty shown to Indian government.
Having said this Pakistan must take notice of the hawks if any who might attempt to spoil the obtaining situation by showing extremist reaction against India. Such forces must be checked in time. Simultaneously, this issue must be raised at appropriate level through foreign ministry so that international community is informed of Indian aggression. Government of Pakistan should also formally take up the issue with Iranian government. The latter must be able to share more details about Yadav related to his stay with family in Iran and vocation he was apparently associated with. Iran will be justified to take up the issue with Indian authorities as well asking them as to why its soil was abused. Islamabad must be firm and consistent in handling this situation and taking the episode to its logical end.
Indian government appears to be having insurmountable predicament ahead. Being in untenable situation has confirmed that Kulbhushan Yadav was ex-employee of Indian navy. How to buy this version in the face of disclosures made by Yadav himself that he is serving commander rank officer of Indian navy and is due to retire in 2022. He was launched with a fake identity with the name of Hussain Mubarak Patel and was reportedly having a jewelry shop in Chabbahar town of Iran as a part of his cover activity. Government of Pakistan should pursue this episode to internationally belie Indian claims of ‘non-interference’ in the internal affairs of neighbour countries.
