Ever since partition of sub-continent into two dominions relations between Pakistan and Indian have remained tension-ridden due to non-resolution of the Kashmir dispute. But the kink has never been so convoluted and strong as it has become since advent of Narendara Modi as Prime Minister of India. He being a devout disciple of RSS philosophy of ‘Hindutva’ which is essentially anti-Muslim never lets any opportunity go by without his Pakistan bashing rhetoric.
In a recent interview with an American podcaster Lex Fridman he accused Pakistan of exporting terrorism, dubbed it as ‘epicentre of turmoil’ waging a proxy war against India. In a bid to present himself as proponent of peace he referred to his invitation to the former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to participate in his oath-taking ceremony in 2014 as a good will gesture reiterating that every attempt to foster peace with Pakistan was met with hostility and betrayal. He expressed the hoe that wisdom would prevail on the leadership in Islamabad to improve bilateral ties.
The narrative expounded by Modi has not come as a surprise for those who are savvy of his creed of turning India into a majoritarian state, his bias against Muslims and his persistent anti-Pakistan stance.
The position taken by Modi with regard to Pakistan actually fits on India itself. There is credible evidence available of Indian state terrorism in the foreign lands and neighbouring Pakistan. How could India hurl allegations of terrorism and proxy war against Pakistan in view of the fact that it was itself involved in extra-judicial killings in Canada and an abortive attempt in USA besides supporting insurgency and acts of terrorism by BLA in Balochistan. The arrest of serving Indian naval officer Kalbhushan Jhadav in Balochistan and his confessions regarding involvement of Indian RAW in orchestrating and supporting insurgency in Balochistan provide a ranting testimony of Indian state terrorism.
India has a proven record of shying away from dialogue to resolve disputes on one pretext or the other and even showing increasing hostility towards Pakistan, more so since Modi became Prime Minister of India.
In the context of the present wave of acts of terrorism in Pakistan, the statement by Maulvi Mansoor a valued commander of TTP who was arrested in Balochistan in June 2024 along with his companion also provides irrefutable evidence of India sponsoring acts of terrorism in Balochistan. In his confessional statement in a video played before the journalists he said” Indian RAW is supporting TTP and BLA and I am responsible for military, financial and administrative affairs of the banned outfit. The TTP has been working closely with BLA as desired by RAW. Indian RAW wants the two entities to collaborate and set up camps in Balochistan. The objective of setting up these camps is to establish foothold in the province, target Chinese citizens to sabotage CPEC and carry out kidnapping for ransom which will highlight forced disappearances issue discrediting Pakistan’s intelligence agencies. Current Afghan government fully backs their activities” He also revealed that many missing persons were roaming around in Afghanistan.
Perhaps it would also be pertinent to mention reports published in foreign media about Indian terrorism. The Washington Post reported that India’s intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) has carried out at least six target killings in Pakistan using hired criminals and Afghan shooters. It claimed that the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has positioned himself as the most assertive Indian leader since independence, is the driving force behind the nation’s actions beyond its borders. The Guardian in first week of April also reported that Indian government had killed about 20 people in Pakistan since 2020. The paper published this report on the basis of interviews with officials of Indian intelligence and the documents shared by Pakistan.
In view of foregoing realities the foreign ministry was right on money to denounce contentions of Modi calling them misleading and one-sided emphasizing that the fictitious narrative of victim-hood by India could not hide its involvement in fomenting terrorism on Pakistani soil and the state-sanctioned oppression in IIOJ&K.
As regards efforts to promote peace India has a proven record of shying away from dialogue to resolve disputes including the core issue of Kashmir on one pretext or the other and even showing increasing hostility towards Pakistan, more so since Modi became Prime Minister of India. He orchestrated incidents like Pulwama to whip up anti-Pakistan sentiments within India to win elections besides staging similar false-flag operations. In February 2019 it also sent Indian planes to attack an imaginary terrorist camp at Balakot which created a war like situation between the two countries. While Pakistan gave a befitting response to that indiscretion by Indian it made sincere efforts to defuse the situation courtesy the friendly countries and as a gesture of good will also sent back the captured Indian pilot back to his country.
Modi also scuttled the chances of improvement in bilateral relations between the two countries by ending the special status of IIOJ&K on 5 August 2019, dividing the territory into two territories and making them part of the Indian Union in defiance of the UN resolutions. He also violated the 4th Geneva Convention by promulgating law aimed at changing demographic realities of the state as well as allowing Indian nationals to buy properties there. The state was turned into an open prison and a reign of terror was let loose in the valley. Since then hardly a day passes when the Kashmiri youth are not killed during search and cordon operations.
Kashmir is an unfinished agenda of partition. The resolution of this dispute in conformity with the UN resolutions is a must to normalize relations between the two countries. Indian intransigence in this regard is the main stumbling bloc. Pakistan is a party to the dispute and rightly and justifiably has been extending moral, political and diplomatic support to the people of Kashmir who are fighting to cast off the Indian yolk and decide their fate themselves.
Nobody can refute the foregoing realities. But regrettably the powers that be and the UN seem least pushed to resolve this issue and hold India responsible for its state terrorism. The US and its western allies in spite of crying hoarse from every convenient roof-top to announce their humanitarian credentials and support for right of self-determination remain criminally oblivious to violation of human rights by India and the state-terrorism employed by her to achieve it nefarious designs. They see the whole thing through the prism of their geo-strategic and commercial interests providing encouragement to leaders like Modi to persist with his actions unruffled by any reprimand by them.
However history is a witness to the fact that freedom movements cannot be subdued with the barrel of the gun and the people engaged in that struggle ultimately emerge victorious. Indian attempts to reverse these historic facts will keep elusive the prospects of peace in this region and India will also not remain unscathed by her own created conflict.
The writer is a former diplomat and freelance columnist.