Qammer Abbass Anka
“Peacemaking is a risky business. The greatest source of risk comes from spoilers who believe that peace emerging from negotiations threatens their power and interests and use violence to undermine attempts to achieve it”.
(Stephen John Stedman)
Sinusidal behaviour of Pak-India relations has always been a major factor in keeping regional security and peace at flash point. The efforts for normalizing tension between two nuclear foes suddenly stall due to hawkish attitude of hard liner Hindus who presently dominate power corridores of India. Though their presence always remained substantial irrespective of the ruling political party, however, the present Indian Government lead by Modi has surpassed all previous records of anmosity against Pakistan.
Going a little back, Narendra Modi’s offensive attacks during the election campaign on the “soft” policy of Congress Government towards Pakistan, and his threat that should he come to power he would teach such enemies a lesson, had already set the stage for severing bilateral relations with Pakistan. The tenure of his rule has witnessed accomplishment of his pledges under dictation of RSS. Immediately after resumption of Government by BJP, World frequently witnessed an undeclared situation of war on Eastern border. With BJP coming to power, the situation worsened with a rising trend of serious ceasefire violations by India. These voilations involved almost daily shelling from across the border, not only in the cover of the night but in broad daylight and on innocent civilians, mostly old folks and children, with heavy casualties. Ironically, India instead of feeling embarrased on its nepharious cross LOC aggressions continued blaming Pakistan. In this context Indian media fully focussed their propaganda guns on Pakistan with an aim to sensitize international community against her Western neighbour. This cunningly articulated campaign is mostly based on exploiting internal sensitivities of Pakistan and blowing the old trumpet of phony allegations of infilteration and interference in affairs of IOK.
Hardliner Hindus who never accepted creation of Pakistan, frequently fume out their displeasure and repugnance through toxic tactics aimed at harming Pakistan and maligning her internationally. This dirty game of embroiling Pakistan on one context or the other is on since independence. India’s loathing against Pakistan is not new. However, the frequency at which Indian bitterness against Pakistan is unfolding during reign of BJP and the impunity with which it is happening makes this phenomenon a matter of concern, especially once it comes to her relations with Pakistan. Undeniably, bilateral relations between India and Pakistan directly influence the stability and peace in South East Asia with its ripples shaping the socio-political and economic atmosphere of the region.
Narendra Modi, an active worker of RSS is notorious for his anti Pakistan and anti-Muslim mind set. His loyalities with and strong pledges to RSS are clearly evident from his post electoral actions. The growing planned involvement of RSS in Government affairs is a proof of BJP being the front face of RSS. In pursuance of implementing RSS agenda against Pakistan, BJP has given a free hand to RSS to utilize Government machinery and State resources. India’s National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, an extremely anti Pakistani intelligence expert, has been on the forefront in anti-Pakistan campaign. Doval an ex IB Chief is a close associate of BJP, RSS and LK Advani.
Off late, Indian Premiere Modi’s surprise short visit to Pakistan startled the minds of many think tanks within and outside Pakistan. Some foretellers basing on the tragic track record of those countries where Modi had been visiting, termed this visit also as a curse. The predictions were not false, as merely hours after his departure, Pakistan was jolted by a tremor. In this visit Mr. Modi was accompanied by an unending line of inauspicious persons for Pakistan including NSA devilish Ajit Doval. His repungence for and schemes against Pakistan need no elucidation. Despite his maticulus planning, none of his plots could succeed against Pakistan and rather brought international embarrassement for him and India. Hats off to him, despite repeated failures, this brazen person did not give up. After the last year’s flopped drama of “terror boat”, his latest venture has been “mysterious attack on Indian Air Force Base Pathankot”.
The drama started with Indian media flashing a series of bizarre incidents, hollow claims and hysteric frenzy alleging Pakistan’s involvement in attack on Pathankot Air Base even without having waited for the so called attack to be over. Drama plot included a police vehicle snatched by a group of five terrorist while overpowering a high ranking district official, the shopkeepers around the base directed to close down their shops earlier and then in the late night, it was projected with customary frenzy that Pathankot base was attacked by terrorists of some particular Pakistan based banned organization. Amid the drama, Zee TV reported interception of four calls made by terrorists by Indian intelligence agencies. Details also included that one of the terrorists called up his mother in Pakistan. During the conversation, the mother told her son to take his meal before dying in the attack. Indian authorities initially claimed that all terrorists were killed, however, later it was stated that the operation is continuing as few more terrorists were hiding in the base. And the fabulous drama continued for over four days. Probably, the drama writer overlooked the stigma brought to so called Asian Tiger India and her elite Armed Forces for their inability to neutralize handful of attackers despite lapse of four days and heavy losses.
“Pathankot incident”, despite being a riddle with many unanswered questions is being exploited by India to carry out toxic propaganda against Pakistan. Indian media’s frenzy against Pakistan is not a new phenomenon. Any of such news item is blown out of proportion just to malign Pakistan. Forthcoming Foreign Secretary level talks between two countries have already fallen prey to Pathankot drama, thus accomplishing the real objective of RSS and Dovel.
Such fabricated and stage managed plots, unduly blown by powerful and wicked Indian media have been and will continue to be deterimental to normalization process between Pakistan and India. Indian establishment vis-à-vis Doval have a past record of staging similar dramas to create false alarms, security hype and sensitize international community, especially prior to India’s republic day celebration. Pathankot drama also exposed the non journalistic and immature approach of Indian media which is notorious for creating storm in the tea cup. Contrary to India’s media, role of Pakistani media throughout this episode has remained mature and full of magnanimity.
India, instead of hiding her failure by blaming Pakistan must set own house to order. India can not shy away from admiting presence of dozens of separatist movements cooking within the country which frequently keep challenging failed policies of Hinducentric BJP Government. It will be pertinent to mention that Indian Punjab has been witnessing severe anti BJP and freedom struggle waged by Sikh activists. The “Pathankot plot” may have also been woven to neutralize their activities while creating high security situation. The incident may also be followed by some operation by BJP led Punjab State Government to target innocent Sikhs and the political rivals. Pathankot epoisode has also cut the stature of Indian Forces to their actual size and exposed hollow claims of being greatest regional power. The possibility of hiding LEAs inability by linking the episode with Kashmir Freedom movement by BJP Government cannot be over ruled as well. Reportedly, it was claimed by some segments of India that terrorists wanted to avenge the hanging of Afzal Guru.
Dear readers, expect Indian establishment under Dovel resorting to more stage managed incidents, concocted stories and conspiracies all over India as well as in Afghanistan till the India’s republic day. The broad objectives would be maligning Pakistan of state sponsored terrorism, hiding own inabilities and creating grounds for sabotaging peace dialogue process with Pakistan.