(A veteran media colleague, an editor from Canada, expressed concern to me about the ongoing India and Pakistan conflict and the impending full-scale war. I am sharing with readers my email response. Some details and corrections added for clarity)
I entirely agree with your wish to avoid war, D….. You are a very kind-hearted person. Much more would I rather die, as I am prepared to do, will do and am going to do (in the Himalayas), if my life can save at least one priceless human life.
You (and the western media / western world) have to realize India has already been at war for more than three decades – a proxy war waged by a neighbouring country using terrorists to “bleed India with a thousand cuts”, as one of Pakistan’s terrorist “guests” Hafeez Saeed has been saying in public rallies in Pakistan for years.
Since 1980s, India has lost tens of thousands of civilian and military lives in “war” casualties due to state sponsored terrorism, insurgence, paying unemployed youth in Kashmir to attack soldiers, and an economic war with blatant crimes like Pakistan-printed counterfeit money.
For decades, India has talked, talked and talked with Pakistan.
Nothing happened.
For decades, India has been given promise after promise of action being taken against terrorist s in Pakistan.
Nothing happened.
For decades, India has given dossiers after dossiers of proof.
Nothing happened.
The only thing that has consistently happened is one terrorist attack after another sourced directly or indirectly from Pakistan.
How is this to end?
India has a long standing and major territorial dispute with China too. But China does not train and send terrorists to India.
India’s current consistent stance with Pakistan is: End state-sponsored terrorism, close your dozens of terrorist training camps, take action against terrorist masterminds (residing in your country as your protected guests) for major terrorist attacks in India, particularly the 26/11 strikes in Mumbai – and then we will talk about Kashmir. (Though, there is nothing further to talk about Kashmir. The Simla Agreement signed on 2 July 1972, with Pakistan was the final settlement on the Kashmir issue. India returned territory it captured in the 1971 war to Pakistan on the mutual agreement that this settles the Kashmir dispute). But military dictators starting with Zia-ul-Haq in the 1980s re-ignited the Kashmir “issue” to prop up their illegal hold of power, and started their proxy war on India using terrorists, knowing well (as the world knows) they cannot risk an open conventional war with India.
Pakistan’s stance since the 26/11 terrorist strikes in India is that “nonstate” elements were involved. If so, why are those “non-state” terrorists being given state protection, state funding and state support in Pakistan? Why has Pakistan not moved an inch after a decade in its “court case” against the perpetrator masterminds of the 2008 Mumbai attacks?
After decades of failed talks and broken promises from powerless civilian Pakistan prime ministers to act against terrorists, what options does India have to protect lives of its citizens from further terrorist attacks?
The only way to prevent more hostilities, end the current hostility, is for Pakistan to come to its senses and take concrete, credible action (not an eyewash as before) against its state hosted, state funded and state protected terrorist masterminds. Or hand over those terrorist masterminds to a neutral country for their fair trial under international laws.
Even after the Balakot strike of February 26, the Indian government made clear to the world that the strikes were unavoidable non-military action against terrorists, meaning the air strike was not directed against Pakistan military or the Pakistani people.
What does Pakistan do the next day? Send F-16s to attack military installations in India as a blatant act of war. The capture of the downed pilot is an incident of war. His return was entirely due to the ultimatum of tremendous Indian military pressure (on the night of February 27-28) and international diplomatic pressure on Pakistan.
Pakistan started this current war more than 30 years ago through terrorists, and then confirmed by the PAF military action against India on February 27. India is taking robust defensive counter measures against this war and counter measures to end terrorism.
In fact, since mid-1990s, I had foreseen the futility of talking to the powerless, civilian governments of Pakistan. I had written many, many articles (until I was fed up of repeating myself) advocating that for real peace India has to treat Pakistan as a terrorist state (by breaking all diplomatic relations with it), even if the rest of the world does not declare Pakistan as a terrorist state (in spite of acknowledging Pakistan’s well known support for terrorists, and knowing military-ruled Pakistan being in denial, indulging in relentless deceit over it.) These are facts known to western governments, western media – who all leap up in alarm only in the very, very rare times India’s armed forces are brought into the equation against Pakistan-based terrorists.
Some western countries are always very quick to advise India to “talk” to Pakistan, after every major terrorist attack: The advice would be credible if the same countries had peace talks with Iraq and Afghanistan after 9/11. End this hypocrisy: one rule for the West, another rule for the rest.
India had repeatedly warned the US against sale of F-16s to Pakistan saying they will not be used in their “war against terrorism”, but will be used against India. So it was proved on the morning of February 27.
I have seen many terrorist attacks in Mumbai, I have survived terrorist attacks in Mumbai – seen bloodied bodies scattered in a bed of red glass shards in places I walk every day. But I have never seen such anger and grim determination in this country, after the latest Pulwama attack. The mindset is: Enough. No more.
We reap what we sow. What the seed is, so the fruit will be. Pakistan cannot sow seeds of terrorism, hatred, violence against fellow human beings for decades – and think it can escape the consequences for ever.
“Just as fresh milk takes time to sour, so too it takes time for the fool’s mischief to catch up with him”, said the Buddha.
Pakistan’s mischief, its decades of crimes against humanity, have caught up with it.
The end outcome will bring real peace and prosperity for people in the region – only after genuine democracy and the truth prevails in Pakistan.
Sometimes strong action has to be taken to save lives, to save further loss of lives, when all other options have failed. That is why nations have armies to defend our lives, our families, our homes, our country, our civilized world. Evil has to be fought.
To end this war, the onus is entirely on Pakistan that started it more than 30 years ago: end your terrorist mischief once and for all – for real peace in Pakistan, in India and in the world. Walk on the universal path of truth, peace, and real happiness (www.dhamma.org).
May all beings be happy, be peaceful, be liberated.
(The writer is a senior, Mumbai-based journalist)