Observer Report
Karachi
Pakistan has put its troops along the border with India on “high alert” after intelligence indicated that India could mount a misadventure or surgical strike to take the spotlight off the the ongoing mammoth farmers’ protests in the country.
The hardline Hindu nationalist government of Narendra Modi could do anything to weaken the ongoing protests, led by the Sikh farmers from Indian Punjab, and to stop it from giving impetus to the Khalistan movement.
According to sources, Pakistani troops guarding the Line of Control and Working Boundary with India have been put on “high alert” to frustrate the Indian designs.
The farmers’ protests, sparked off by controversial reforms deregulating the agriculture sector, have escalated to entire India. Protesters believe the so-called reforms will further undermine, disenfranchise and subjugate the Indian farmers.
India has amassed troops to prevent farmers from marching to the capital. Blockades have been set up, some highway roads were dug up to impair travel, and in many cases, water cannons were turned on the protestors — an intergenerational mix, from children to the elderly, directly comprising affected families.
The farmers are also supported in their protest by Indian diaspora worldwide. In cities in Canada, the US, UK, Australia — or any other country that has a strong Punjabi or Indian population — car rallies or demonstrations are under way.
These demonstrations are in support of the farmers, and the 250 million citizens of India involved in the single largest protest in human history. In 2016, India had laid claim to conducting a surgical strike (without evidence) on the LoC. Similarly, on February 26, 2019, the country had tried launching a similar operation against Pakistan but failed at it.
