PAKISTANI leadership is on a peace offensive but regrettably rulers in New Delhi are pursuing the same old mantra of bullying Islamabad and threatening to use the force to settle scores.
This has been the pattern throughout in the history of Pakistan-India relations and the recent conflict and latest statements emanating from the two countries confirm continuation of the trend as evident from the remarks made by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during his joint presser with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Tehran and the tone adopted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a rally in Bhuj in his home state of Gujarat on the day he completed 11 years in office.
The Prime Minister, who is on a diplomatic tour of four countries – Turkey, Iran, Azerbaijan and Tajikistan – to express gratitude and strengthen regional partnership for peace, reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to being ready for serious and constructive dialogue with India on outstanding issues, including Kashmir, peace, water rights, trade and counterterrorism.
He declared, “We wanted peace.
We want peace and we will work for peace in the region through talks on the table and resolve our outstanding issues including Kashmir problem according to the United Nations Security Council resolutions which were acknowledged even by the Indian Lok Sabha when Nehru was the Prime Minister of India.
” Pakistan’s peace credentials are being appreciated by the global leadership and the Iranian leader also echoed the sentiments expressed by the Prime Minister when he urged both Pakistan and India to resolve their differences through dialogue, adding for ensuring security and stability in the region, neighbouring countries should hold dialogue and have positive consultations among each other and with the international partners.
The suggestion of the Iranian President was also in line with the repeated appeals by the Pakistani leadership to the international community to use good offices to promote peace in the region.
However, it is unfortunate that India, which pushed the region to the edge of virtual catastrophe by carrying out unprovoked aggression against Pakistan, has apparently not learnt any lesson.
In a speech marked by inflammatory rhetoric and provocative threats, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a warning to Pakistan, stating that to end terrorism in the country, its citizens must choose peace — or face his bullet, easily forgetting that Pakistani bullets proved more effective in the recent short war.
Pakistan has called the bluff of India’s numerical superiority and if needed Pakistan’s capability to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity will be established again in case of any mischief from across the eastern border.
Prime Minister Sharif while expressing preference for dialogue and peace, also firmly stated that if India remained aggressive, Pakistan shall defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Pakistan Foreign Office, in its reaction to the venomous remarks of the Indian PM, was more expressive in analyzing the statement and the dangers involved.
In a statement, it pointed out that the hate-driven invocation of violence in Modi’s remarks was deeply disturbing; not only for its content but for the dangerous precedent it sets in a region already burdened by volatility.
In fact, statements blatantly violate the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter, which obliges member states to resolve disputes peacefully and to refrain from the threat or use of force against the sovereignty or political independence of other states.
Though it can be said that Modi’s provocative and threatening remarks were aimed at placating the domestic public opinion, which was turning hostile to the rulers in the backdrop of their jingoistic policy, which backfired in the short battle between the two neighbours but these also reflect Modi is bent upon Pakistan-bashing involving serious threats to regional peace for the sake of internal politics.
In this backdrop, besides sensitizing the international community about Indian designs, Pakistan should maintain constant vigilance to give a befitting response to each and every misadventure.
