In one of my recent articles on Kashmir that I wrote right before the entire Line of Control (LoC) debacle between India and Pakistan, I mentioned how India was not doing enough, and did not appear to be serious in striking peace with Pakistan, and all for a good reason. Peace with Pakistan means stability in Pakistan, as Pakistan has more at stake with India in having peace, and that might not be in the best interest of India at the moment. Looking from a geopolitical perspective, India would rather let Pakistan bleed a little more before striking a peace deal so as to bring Pakistan to a weaker bargaining position. The entire LoC event seems to have proved my basic point, and that is the fact that India, and especially its radical media, is not prepared for peace with Pakistan and is going the extra mile to delegitimise the country at international forums. On the other hand, Pakistan is going out of its way, at times appearing desperate, for cordial relations with India. While we tend to criticise the government of Pakistan and the army for manipulating history and instigating propaganda against India, we ignore how Indians have done the same in their country, hence making it difficult for the Indian public to change their perception about Pakistan, especially after events like Mumbai 2008, and the recent clash on the LoC. Two wrongs do not make a right indeed, but the credit goes to our public, politicians, and media for at least being on a welcoming foot with our Indian visitors, especially with the cricket team, musicians, and actors.
While I am a big fan of India and dream of the of the day when I could randomly get in my car in Lahore and drive to Amritsar for food, but unfortunately, watching the sensationalist and radical Indian media, and how the Indian government sent the Pakistani musicians and sporting teams packing home is a serious disappointment. It makes one question whether India is really an open society as it projects itself in the media and the movies or whether beneath this thin layer of liberalism, openness and tolerance is a volcano of hate and prejudice against Pakistan, especially at a time when Pakistan is open for dialogue. Pakistan might mix religion with politics every now and then, but across the border in India whether it is sports, music, or entertainment, they like to mix everything with politics too.
Also, Dr Yaqoob Bangash, an assistant professor of History at the FC College in Lahore, who recently wrote a piece on Kashmir claiming that an average Pakistani would rather work in India than be bothered about Kashmir, has reportedly been harassed at Jaipur by Indian immigration officials. What is dangerous is when people like Dr Bangash, who have a positive stance about India, get a reality check, the entire peace ream fades away into a mere rhetorical fantasy. It has begun to appear, especially looking at how the Indians and their media has reacted to the LoC event, that India is as fixated, if not more, on Pakistan, as we in Pakistan believe that our army is obsessed with India — something that needs to stop.
While the perception about India was radically changing in Pakistan with 80 percent approval of India in one of my polls from last year, I would not be surprised if the entire handling of the LoC event and petty propaganda by the Indian media would have taken perceptions back to square one. I have repeatedly voiced my opinion, especially for the ears of Indian policymakers, that there can be no peace in the region without India compromising as a big brother. In basic conflict resolution theory, the bigger power has to, and it should make more concessions to appease the smaller and weaker party, which is insecure. The route to peace in the region that India is taking by systematically bleeding and delegitimising Pakistan will only prove to be disastrous for the region. More instability in Pakistan means instability in India under the domino effect. India perhaps does not realise that it might be making the same mistake that Pakistan made in Afghanistan under its ‘strategic depth’ policy.
It is about time India take the wool of arrogance off its eyes, and end its obsession with Pakistan. Moreover, the Indian media needs to act in a more responsible and a mature way to allow peace to survive between the two countries. But looking from the Indian point of view, as much as the Pakistan army needs the fear of India to perpetuate its purpose of existence, the hawks in India need the fear of Pakistan to keep its public busy away from the real issues of inequality, poverty, and injustice that are slowly rusting the image of Indian prowess in the world.
The writer is a lecturer at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) in Islamabad. He is also an Associate Fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR), Kings College, London. He can be reached at [email protected]