Hameed Shaheen Alvi
AS non-Europeans seek ‘bread & toil’ today in the Western countries/societies, the Europeans in 15th century used to seek their fortunes in the East; during their bread search toils they built empires, grouped landmasses into states/countries. In the 15th century, Europe sought to expand trade routes to find new sources of wealth and bring Christianity to the East and any newly found lands. This is called European Age of Discovery that saw the rise of colonial empires on a global scale, building a commercial network that connected Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America, Australia and America.
If today their burgeoning commercial markets feed non-Europeans, immigrants with bread and butter, actually they are returning their debt to the East. And amidst this galore, tampering with religions of others is just a super foolishness and prejudice embedded. Prejudice they should not display because they themselves suffered a lot economic deprivations at home.
Some powers today plan to subdue the East with one by one option using their antagonism towards China as a grand pretext but actually they want their expansion behind the veil of charming diplomacy. It is part of their grand expansion strategy that first they destroyed group of Middle Eastern countries one by one reducing populations to the level of worms creeping on earth. The expansion via destruction is an ongoing wave. Therefore to avert the coming dangers the East should build up a bloc of its own and open up a dialogue forum with the West. US is playing as wedge driver.
US leaning towards India is emboldening Delhi to toughen itself up with neighbouring Pakistan; what brand of gennie India of today nurses for its contiguous neighbours is well transpired by Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent remarks referenced in his article by former Bangladesh envoy Sirajul Islam. According to him Amit Shah described Bangladeshi Muslims as termites, a bait for Hindutva, and that Bangla Muslims would be drowned in the Bay of Bengal. Although it is a direct threat to Bangladesh, yet in its expansive definition it displays Indian/BJP leaders whole attitude in the region.
In this hostile scenario neighbours of India should resolutely build up their economy. It seems better that all neighbours of India should form an Economic Community independent of politics otherwise economically paralytic countries could actually become ‘bait’ to senseless Hindutva. Hindutva has become India’s driving juggernaut. India’s NSA Doval recently ‘announced’ India can fight two front wars simultaneously: one at its own land, other in foreign lands. At least it is an opportunity for Pakistan to instil this coming danger into diplomatic brains of Europe, USA and others. Europe and USA may not be sense the danger but Pakistan’s efforts would sensitize peoples of the world that becomes success.
—The writer is a former senior bureaucrat, based in Rawalpindi.
