FOREIGN Office has done well by relaying a plain message across the eastern border, making it absolutely clear that Pakistan would not sit idly if India indulged in any misadventure against the country. Its spokesperson underlined that Pakistan has clearly demonstrated its resolve to defend itself in the past and would not hesitate to do so in future should the Indian side choose to embark on a misadventure.
The warning is robust and timely as it has become a norm in the neighbouring country to stoke anti-Pakistan sentiments for electoral gains and it is particularly so in the case of BJP leadership, especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his cabinet colleagues. They have been churning out irresponsible statements and claims about the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities, counter-terrorism efforts and state of bilateral relations. Easily forgetting that people of Jammu and Kashmir have out rightly rejected Indian machinations to integrate the disputed territory illegally, the likes of Indian Home and Defence Ministers are threatening to attack and occupy Azad Kashmir. The hollowness of Indian claims and actions vis-à-vis Kashmir dispute is evident from the fact that the BJP could not pick up courage to field candidates for so-called elections in the occupied territory for fear of reprisals from Kashmiris who are inflamed over unprecedented trampling of their rights by occupation forces and continued denial of their birth right to them. Some analysts view the 2024 elections in Kashmir as a referendum on those 2019 moves, which the BJP claimed had widespread support in the disputed region. Similarly, India is not only guilty of state-sponsored terrorism in Occupied Kashmir but there is also documented evidence of its involvement in acts of terrorism and sabotage in Pakistan, especially Balochistan, KP and Karachi. As against this, Pakistan has long been cooperating with the international community to eliminate the menace of terrorism that threatens the region and beyond. India is also engaged in propaganda against Pakistan’s nuclear programme and ambitions whereas the entire world knows the programme has its genesis in the existential threat that India keeps on posting every now and then. Pakistan’s nuclear programme is defensive in nature and the country has no aggressive designs against any other country. In this backdrop, the spokesperson has rightly pointed out that the vision of peace, progress and prosperity in South Asia can only be realized through the peaceful resolution of all outstanding disputes, including Jammu and Kashmir, and a shift from confrontation to cooperation. In case of confrontation, Pakistan has the demonstrated capability to not only thwart such designs but also teach a befitting lesson as it did in the aftermath of India’s provocative action in line with its ambitions of hot pursuit.
