As Indian elections begin, Pakistan fears tensions could become worse with its nuclear rival

 

General elections in India have entered in the first phase and the conflict between India and Pakistan seems to have strengthened the popularity of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharata Janata Party (BJP). 

Owing to this, the situation has turned worse for Pakistan, an article published in The Washington Post stated. 

With tensions between the two countries rife, it is premature to presume   who will win the elections in India. 

For now, PM Modi can be seen confident on re-election for his second term.

An attack on Indian soldiers in Pulwama on Feb 14, 2019, killing 40 paramilitary troops deteriorated matters between Indian and Pakistan. 

A Kashimiri youth later claimed the responsibility of the attack. Meanwhile, India claimed 'Pakistan based Jaish-e-Muhammad group is responsible for the attack'.

Ahead of the general elections in India, this terror attack turned Pakistan’s position much tensed with its nuclear rival country.

It was unimaginable to hear a series of booms that jolted everyone awake. On the night of Feb 26, an Indian military jet dropped four bombs near an area of Balakot in Pakistan, according to Pakistani officials.

“It was after 3 a.m. when we heard the sound. There was total confusion,” Muhammad Ajmar, 34, told foreign journalists. He said he taught Koran to dozens of local boys at the Madarssa Talim al Koran since 2012. The visit to the remote site, arranged by the Pakistani army’s public relation office, was first allowed since the bombing.

Indian officials assert that the building was a training center for Jaish-e-Muhammad group that claimed it carried out a Feb 14 bombing in Pulwama.

India said its airstrike killed “a very large number” of militant fighters at the center. Pakistan said that Indian plane missed its target, that no human was harmed, and that the building was a seminary with no other purpose.

On Tuesday, in an interview with foreign journalists, Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed his concern over the deterioration in relations with India. He said the Modi government was unleashing domestic hostility against Muslims, a minority of more than 200 million, and that the very idea of “Muslim-ness” was under attack.

He also suggested that if Modi were to win reelection, his ‘right-wing’ government will actually be more likely to reach a settlement on Kashmir. The opposition Congress party might be ‘too scared’ to move decisively on the issue, he added.

However, political analyst and international experts have predicted that if Modi’s ruling party makes a strong enough showing, India would probably continue harsh tactics in its portion of the disputed territory. Contradictory to PM Khan’s opinion, India would be provoking more protests by Kashmiri Muslims.

The article further stated that the invitation for foreign journalists to interview the prime minister and military official and to visit the site of the Indian airstrike came just a day before the day of the polls in India and in the midst of a domestic economic crisis that has left Pakistan desperate for international support.