Pakistan is at it again. Five soldiers have lost their lives. Indian leadership appears unfazed and wants to continue dialogue with Pakistan. One of the greatest misfortunes for India is the fact that no political leader or bureaucrat sends his progeny to the armed forces. As loss of soldiers’ lives does not impact them personally, they remain unconcerned. They do not realise that every life lost means ruination of a family – loss of a son for the parents, widowhood for the wife and orphans’ lives for the children.
India’s policy of extending a hand of friendship and accommodation has been a total failure. On the contrary, it has emboldened Pakistan into considering India to be a soft state…
It was reprehensible to see the leading spokesperson of the ruling party laughing and joking when discussing such a grave issue on TV. For him, it was nothing more than a debating matter to score points over the opponents. These insensitive people make all Indians hang their heads in shame. They do not realise that an uncaring and callous government is the worst demoralizing factor for the armed forces.
India’s policy of extending a hand of friendship and accommodation has been a total failure. On the contrary, it has emboldened Pakistan into considering India to be a soft state and increased its intransigence and hardened its anti-India attitude. How to deal with an unreasonable and hostile neighbour continues to be a convoluted dilemma for India.
Every nation has certain core values. These are fundamental traits that provide sustenance to it for its existence. Normally, these are positive attributes which are considered non-negotiable and unalterable. In India’s case, it is to secure for all its citizens justice (social, economic and political); liberty (of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship); equality (of status and opportunity); and fraternity while assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the nation.
Pakistan’s core values are based on the warped political principles of ‘hate and hurt India at all costs’. Pakistan was created on the ideology that the ‘pure’ cannot coexist with the infidel. A nation born out of hatred needs hatred to feed itself on for continued sustenance and to justify its existence. Anti-India stance fulfills this need and cannot be shed.
A few years ago a group of Indian ladies visited Pakistan under a social exchange programme. One of the ladies sustained a wrist fracture in an accidental fall and was taken to the nearest medical facility. The orthopaedician on duty treated the lady diligently and to the best of his ability. While bandaging the wrist, he engaged the lady in small talk. When the lady referred to commonality of Indian and Pakistani cultures, the doctor flared up and blasted the lady for her ‘flawed views’. “What is common between us? We eat cows and you worship them. We asked for a separate nation only because we are totally different in all respects. I suggest you Indians should stop fooling yourselves”, he thundered.
…fact is that the whole world considers Pakistan to be an untrustworthy and deceitful nation.
The above incident has been recalled here to show the extent to which Pakistani citizens have been brainwashed. Their deep-rooted hatred and venomous mindset defies logic. Pakistan lives and thrives on anti-Indian policy. The day Pakistan sheds hostility towards India and adopts a conciliatory stance, it would amount to negating two-nation theory, the raison d’être for its very existence. Therefore, it will be naïve to expect Pakistan to have a change of heart. Kashmir is merely a manifestation of Pakistan’s infinite hostility towards India. Were India to hand over Kashmir to it on a platter, Pakistan will invent newer issues to keep the pot boiling.
Bhutto’s ‘1000 year war’ and Zia’s ‘bleeding India by 1000 cuts’ are indicative of innate prejudices. In its school text books, Pakistan’s existence is claimed since the time Qasim captured Sindh province in the 8th century. Muhammad-bin-Qasim and Mahmud Ghori are portrayed as great heroes who were instrumental in the establishment of Muslim rule in India. When a leading Pakistani paper claims that Pakistan is destined to defeat India because Pakistan’s ‘horses in the form of atomic bombs and missiles’ are far better than Indian ‘donkeys’ and boasts of re-conquering India, the level of percolation of anti-India venom can well be gauged.
Even a casual visitor to Pak websites and blogs gets shocked to see venality of comments against India. There is hardly a sane voice that advocates need to promote amity. Strangely, every comment considers India and Hinduism to be synonymous. India bashing always degenerates into Hindu bashing by painting every issue with communal colour.
Due to decades of brainwashing, all Pakistanis suffer from an extremely brutal and vicious anti-Indian streak.
One may not fully agree with former Australian Test umpire Darrell Hair’s description of the Pakistani cricketers as ‘cheats, frauds and liars’. But the fact is that the whole world considers Pakistan to be an untrustworthy and deceitful nation. Independent Pakistan started its track record with treachery. Starting with the Kashmir betrayal; Pakistan has made deceit and duplicity to be its national policy.
Under the Tashkent agreement, India agreed to return the strategic Haji Pir pass to Pakistan, in exchange for an undertaking by Pakistan to abjure the use of force to settle mutual disputes and adherence to the principles of non-interference. However, Pakistan continued its proxy war through its notorious secret agencies. Sanctuaries and safe passage were provided to underground elements of North-Eastern India.
Without learning from the past experience, India agreed to release 96,000 Pakistani Prisoners of War (PoWs) after 1971 war. In exchange, India accepted a solemn verbal undertaking by Bhutto that Pakistan would accept LOC as the de facto border. Bhutto never intended to abide by his word. Worse, to avenge its defeat, Pakistan redoubled its efforts to create turmoil in India. Worse, true to its nature, Pakistan dishonestly kept back 54 Indian PoWs out of 617 PoWs held by it. It is apprehended that they are still rotting in various Pak jails.
India has been repeatedly duped and cheated by Pakistan but continues to entertain hopes of a change of heart whereas Pakistan has made India the whipping boy for all the ills that it suffers from.
While the Indian leadership was trying to break ice through ‘bus diplomacy’ in 1998-99, Pakistani military brass was busy planning the notorious Kargil incursion. Thus, Pakistan remains incorrigible as a devious and cunning neighbour. Due to decades of brainwashing, all Pakistanis suffer from an extremely brutal and vicious anti-Indian streak. The treatment meted out to the patrol led by Lt Saurabh Kalia in May 1999 by the Pakistan army will put even barbarians and animals to shame for its sheer cruelty.
The Way Forward
India will do well to remember Winston Churchill’s advisory, “The further backwards you look, the further forward you can see”. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
India has been repeatedly duped and cheated by Pakistan but continues to entertain hopes of a change of heart whereas Pakistan has made India the whipping boy for all the ills that it suffers from.
It is time India stops living in a fool’s paradise and reformulates its Pakistan policy, keeping the following facts in mind:-
- Pakistan was born on anti-India plank and it is its only identity. Shedding of anti-India posture would amount to questioning the logic of its very creation. Therefore, Pakistan cannot afford to shed its antagonism towards India.
- Pakistan can never be India’s friend as the venom of anti-India feeling is too deeply ingrained and it will take generations for it to abate. India’s unilateral offer of friendship will always be rebuffed.
- Deceitfulness and duplicity is its state policy and it can never be trusted. Trust deficit is the anti-thesis of amity and it cannot be bridged easily.
India must make it amply clear to Pak government that every anti-India mischief would invite immediate reprisal and that no transgression will go unpunished.
- Harming Indian interests is the corner stone of its foreign policy. Attacks on Indian parliament, IT hub Bangalore and commercial centre Mumbai show calculated selection of objectives. It never misses an opportunity to embarrass India in every world forum.
India should stop claiming that a united Pakistan is in India’s interests. There cannot be a more blinkered view. Nations born out of a persecution complex can never rid themselves of bitterness of history. Their break-up is the only way out and India must encourage that in its own security interests. Having failed to make Pakistan see reason, India has no reason to be apologetic. Repeated assertions of being a peace loving state are invariably misconstrued as impotence of a soft state.
It is time India asserts itself by following a proactive policy. The only language rogue countries like Pakistan understand is of strength and retribution. India must make it amply clear to Pak government that every anti-India mischief would invite immediate reprisal and that no transgression will go unpunished. India must avenge death of every Indian soldier. The country owes it to the memory of the martyrs and the sacrifice of the distraught families.
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It’s truly a great factual assessment and a true picture of a rogue state. I’ve read the social studies book of Pakistan for students of 8 to 10 th STD and it’s full of anti India venom
I good Pakistani is always a dead Pakistani anywhere in the world
Afghans and Indians must seek out and murder Pakistanis all over the world in all countries
PAKISTAN’S CREATION ITSELF WAS BASED ON BLOODSHED AND AFTER HUGE HUMAN LOSS IN 1947.
PAKISTAN IS A FACTORY OF TERRORISM AND THEY TRY TO EVOLVE NEW CONCEPTS AND DIMENSIONS TO GENERATE TERRORISM.
THEY MASSACRED 1000’S IN BANGLADESH WHEN IT WAS THEIR TERRITORY. ATTACKED KASHMIR IN 1948 AND KILLED THEIR OWN BROTHERS AND LOOTED AND RAPED THEIR OWN MUSLIM BROTHERS WHY?? IS THIS THE SIGN OF A NATION.
WORLD’S BIGGEST TERRORIST OSAMA BIN LADEN WAS FOUND AND KILLED IN 2011 IN ABBOTABAD IN PAKISTAN.
HE WAS THE MAIN PERPETRATOR OF 9/11. WHY IN PAKISTAN???
HOW MUCH MORE DOES WORLD NEEDS EVIDENCE AGAINST THIS ROUGE / FRAUD / FAILED NATION.?
IT SHOULD BE TREATED LIKE ISRAEL TREATING PALESTINE
why suddenly Indians begun barking specally ugly face Indian Pm modi(killer of 20000 indian muslims) against Pakistan? I tell> indian spy agency RAW was financing and supporting TTP and other terrorist groups to destroy Pakistan from afghanistn with full support of cia and mossad> Pakistan ARMY and isi packed Pakistani talbans> indian gov billions dollars investment to spread terrorism in Pakistan has gone wasted> all plans have failed> this is actuall reason.
Very well written article. We salute the brave soldiers who protect us in spite of being demoralized by the politicians.
After 3 wars i dont think there are any chances of pro india sentiment being developed in Pakistan. You cannot expect it. There is no example of people loving each other when they have been to war so many times.
Also its necessary that u guys look on ur side of hill as well. How do u justify the ‘love’ that shiv sena has regarding Pakistan?
What about the Indian Army’s Colonel’s involvment in the Samjhotah Express Attacks?
There are loads of other examples as well.
Pakistan is suffering from Terrorism cos we once promoted extremism in order to counter the red advance. India did no oppose the Soviets then. They were after all ‘friends’. Yet Pakistan stood against em and in order to make that stand we had to use certain ‘weapons’ that had a side effect. Extremism was one such weapon. It was necessary to use it back then. Now we are fighting the side effects. India’s propoganda of declaring Pakistan a rogue state wont be useful since it undermines pakistan’s stand against the extremism.
It is thus necessary that we think with a clear head.
The phrase “Think with a clear head” does not apply to Pakis. Their thinking has been warped since 1947, the birth of Pakistan. Pakis can cite only Samjautha Express case, for which again it is unclear who was responsible. Even assuming a colonel of the Indian Army was indeed responsible, then the Pakis must be reminded that he is in custody, unlike Hafeez and JuD who enjoy patronage of the Paki Army and government. Secondly, Pakis have produced only terrorists since their formation; what has been their contribution to humanity and global society at large. They produced atomic thieves like AQ Khan, made Generals like Ayub and Yahya and Zia and terrorists like Kasabs for the past six decades. Pakis are like leopards who cannot change their spots.
A well writ article, No Bureaucrat, Politician or Corporate House family is sending their children to the Armed Forces so they hardly care for the lives of the soldiers. Earlier some representation was there from the erstwhile royal families but they too have made politics as their main profession.
Sir, Air Chief Marshall N K Browne’s, comment is doing the rounds on the FB that, if the Government gives the go ahead, Pakistan could be wiped off the Map within 30′. If the Govt is incapable of giving any direction, how long should it take to wipe them off, they have lost their credibility many times over.
Maybe ur Air chief should check ur ex-Army chief’s comment when he too siad that Indian army can crush Pakistan and China in 48 hrs and then acknowledged that India armor’s night capabilities are 40% at night while pakistan is at 80% and China 100% respectively.
It is therefore necessary that u do not quote such hillarious sayings.
“We Plan on enemie’s capabilities not their intensions” Gen. Ashfaq Perwaiz Kayani
May permit sir, with reasons, not communal bent, its all about religion generated hatred, politics or financial interest are secondary or does not exists even. The hatred is not only in among the radicals , majority of educated-well placed Pakis are having same attitude as was recently observed in some press conference where some northern LI Naik boasted how they hunted Shaheed Capt. Kalia and his team. Sir, I earlier had also commented that the suited men and smartly dressed Paki women in some star hotel relished each sentence of that Paki Naik as he was Javed Miandad who had just hit a last ball sixer against India!
Just imagine what would be the mind set of the talibs and radicals influenced by JUD and associates.
can we send dalai lama to bamiyan to reestablish bamiyan kingdom by force to rebuild giant buddhas. cn india teke that as protectorace. chinese should be happy to see dalai lama got his ancestral founder home back….???.
civil war in pakistan should be so violent – that should consume 80-90% of population.. rest will eventually turn back to buddhism…. just as ashoka did.. any ideas??
Sir, I totally agree with you. Our politicians have sold out our national interests. But I am more annoyed with our Armed Forces. Although so highly decorated personalities they have, but overdose of discipline and bureaucracy is killing their attitude. Why cant they nip such persons in bud? Why didn’t RAW dismantled IKG before he dismantled our decades of preparations? Why did big mouthed fools like MD allowed to info on Paki Nukes which in turn decimated our moles?
Sir, apart from answerability to political masters, Defence Forces also have much higher answersablity and responsibility of keeping welfare of Common Indians in mind. At the times when we have Foreign Powers pressurizing Indian politicians why cant Indian Powers (defence & intelligence) can pressurize or decapacitate our erring rulers?
Its time people of India should realize that ‘strength is respected’ only.But don’t know why speaking against pakistan or talking of history is consider hawkish and communal.the approach of present government gives an impression that they were more concerned about pakistan. The situation in india is frustrating.Even national channel is not spared.the debates are structured to discourage any anti pakistan talk.Asking for revenge is labelled as sin.With this type of mentality i really doubt if we need any external enemy.
Is India not a rogue state..after all it allows enemy coming into our territory, claiming it as theirs, then gives excuses for the transgression..that paves way for soldiers getting be headed…it gives excuses and all it does is’ talk firmly” and the same is repeated every fortnight…The supreme commander of India’s armed forces being bothered about it is shown by his action…..the minsiter who threw out a honest officer, the minister who Lied and instigated communal disharmony rules the land….the political class has made India a rogue state..its time not to blame Pakistan or China or so n so..but start looking at those in the parliments