Extraordinary coincidences

Indian Prime Minister Modi’s reported reminder of yesterday to the prime minister of Pakistan ‘to keep his words of fighting poverty and illiteracy together instead of fighting’ are music to the ears of the overwhelming majority of the peace loving people of both the countries who were having sleepless nights apprehending imminent armed conflict between the two countries since the Pulwama terrorist attack in Indian Held Kashmir. Pakistan may take the reiteration of the Indian leader at its face value but must not lower its guards because sometimes deception is also a part of war strategy formulated to catch the adversary napping. The state of high alertness therefore cannot be relegated to the back burner when enemy’s perniciousness is well known to the extent of notoriety.

US President Trump’s expression of acute concern over the heightening tension between the two nuclear power countries is also source of some solace because his assertion that the US was deeply engaged to de-escalate the tension between the two countries may make qualitative difference to elude the armed clash. The international community’s concern along with measured response of Pakistan prime minister including Saudi Crown Prince’s advice to both countries, India and Pakistan, to avoid escalation might have served as the immediate cause of realisation on the part of Indian government about the negative fall out of its war mongering hysteria. Chinese government’s concern and the European Union anxiety over the human rights violations in Indian Held Kashmir might have also pushed India to see redemption in diplomacy than in brinkmanship. Hopefully, this assessment of the emerging is accurate otherwise the doom and gloom may not be far away.

Pakistan, sadly, is in double jeopardy. Pakistan is in the thick of the shrillest criticism emanating from the neighbouring countries, India, Iran and Afghanistan; due to the two deadly terrorist attacks, one in IHK and the other in Iran. Both countries have pointed finger on Pakistan as the perpetrator. Prime facie, it looks very well planned and well executed sort of conspiracy against Pakistan when seen in the context of its timing and synchronization. Though, no inclusive evidence is available to substantiate the conspiracy narrative but extraordinary odd coincidences within span of one week are mind blowing that agitates the mind to mull over ‘to be or not to be that is the question’.

The sequence of gruesome events like terrorist attack in Iran killing 22 security guards, followed by Pulwama terrorist attack in Indian Occupied Kashmir killing 42 Indian border security personal and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s heartless tirade against Pakistan in Germany, Kulbhushan Jadhav’s case proceedings in the International Court of Justice (Hague), FATF meeting in Paris, PSL mega cricket event orchestrated by Pakistan and above all Saudi Crown Prince Salman’s visit to Pakistan, may give reasonable doubt that all such high profile developments did not take place in vacuum entailing far reaching strategic implications. If so, a lot of homework might have been carried out behind the scene by the undertaker or undertakers to meet the parameters of recalibration to maximise dividends at the appalling expense of Pakistan. Pakistan leadership seems caught napping because the possibility of such extraordinary coincidences within a week or so could not possibly be anticipated even in the worst case scenario. The eavesdropping might presumably lead to the doorsteps of the country (India) determined to subdue and humiliate Pakistan in pursuance of its declared policy.

The inference that could possibly be deduced suggested India as the beneficiary country that in collusion with other countries, having shared objectives, might have planned the simultaneous pummel against Pakistan to reap diplomatic, political and strategic dividends and leaving the targeted country high and dry licking its wounds. For Pakistan, it was very difficult situation when India had stated policy to push it into diplomatic oblivion and therefore would not spare any stone unturned to persuade other regional countries to settle scores as well. The country in the Middle East known as Indian strategic partner (Israel) might have extended requisite support to India to teach a bitter lesson to its immediate and strong neighbour.

Indian wide ranging ties with the country of the Middle East are well known that also supplied state of the art weapons system of air to-air-defence. The two countries seemingly were hand-in gloves against Pakistan considering it their only hurdle in the way of their hegemony in the respective regions.

The other hypothesis that sprouts out of the current scenario is the ignoble handiwork of the terrorist outfits and extremist lobbies of both countries those are swayed by their insatiable appetite to see India and Pakistan fighting to the terrible end. Their sick mentality is indeed limitless. They see the culmination of their toxic agenda in total destruction, bloodshed, poverty and ignorance to walk freely on a land representing the graveyard spectacle. The history of Pak-India relations bears witness to terrorist’s nasty myriad misadventures to derail peace and normalisation process even before these got started. The ‘Structured Dialogue Process’ between the two countries became the immediate casualty of Mumbai terrorist attack in which hundreds of people, both foreign and local, were shot dead by terrorists. ‘Lahore Declaration’ signed during former Indian PM Vajpayee’s historic visit to Lahore also became victim of Kargil debacle. The desire for good neighbourly relations was again sabotaged by terrorists when they attacked Pathankot Airbase in early 2016. Earlier, the Indian incumbent Prime Minister Modi made a stopover at Lahore to meet the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif clearly manifesting desire of Indian leadership to explore the possibilities of peace between the two countries. But terrorists shot the process down even before its humble commencement.

Raising the false flags time and again by India had the long history of its strategy to embarrass Pakistan in its sinister attempt to get diplomatic and strategic mileage based on the narrative that Pakistan’s losses were their gains. DG (ISPR) last week in his press conference referred to the Indian current method in madness by quoting series of Indian- orchestrated events during the seventy years of history. The Pulwama terrorist attack might be of the same kind as pointed out by the Chairman of Standing Committee on Interior, Rehman Milk. The terrorist attack in Indian Held Kashmir seemingly planned by Indian RAW to spoil the Saudi Crown Prince’s visit to Pakistan. Indian leadership refused to listen to reason and had blamed Pakistan for the terrorist attack in haste with the threat to take revenge. The Indian media has taken lead to create war hysteria without knowing that once the beasts of war are unleashed it is not possible to control them for marching in the desired directions. It may be stated without an iota of apprehension of contradiction that the winning spree of the terrorist/extremist mindset has been continuing to the collective chagrin of the political leadership and the people of the two countries. They aborted numerous peace making initiatives in the past. Their success squarely reflected poorly on the political and the security leadership of the two countries those could not preempt hardliners mischief against normalisation. Ironically, they generally joined hands with the forces of anti-peace lobbies and kept the cauldron boiling. Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, a great leader and statesman, was one of the exceptions who manifested the vision of great leader when he signed Simla Agreement after the 1971 military debacle when the nation was demoralised to the hilt. Who would deny that he maximised the country’s position and standing under the extremely hostile circumstances. He retrieved thousands of square miles of territory from the occupation of the enemy country without firing a single shot.

India and Pakistan need visionary and futuristic leadership to get the countries out of the vicious trap of the past mired in deep mistrust, and seek out the resolution of the issues through dialogue because war is no more an option after their nuclearisation. The people of two countries had suffered more than they deserved at the hands of hawks. Now is the time that people of two countries should be provided an enabling environment for peace, security and prosperity. The regional approach for peace, stability and progress as advocated by Pakistan Army Chief General Bajwa is worth considering.

Iranian senior military official’s unacceptable public threat to opt for hot pursuit against Pakistan was shocking and unacceptable. It should have been withheld by the brotherly country when Pakistan was in hot waters due to Indian hostility. Pakistan condemned the gruesome terrorist attack and offered all sort of assistance to the Iranian government to nab the culprits. The foreign Minister of Pakistan also spoke to his counterpart underscoring the importance to keep the cool. He also shared the grief over the tragedy resulting in killing of security personnel of Iran. The reported arrests belonging to the proscribed terrorist sectarian organisation, operating on both sides of the border, was responsible for the shameful attack as it claimed responsibility. These sectarian outfits are out there to spoil the relations between the two countries as their ultimate victory. The two governments must not fall prey to their insidious narrative and ideology and defeat them through collective strategy with shared vision.

muhammadshaheedi@yahoo.com