India’s bellicosity: PTI expresses concern over govt’s ‘continuing silence’

Party accuses the govt of ignoring a critical strategic development

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has expressed concern over the ‘continuing silence’ of the government over the increasing bellicosity of the Indian leadership, especially the new Indian army chief and the fast-paced development of India’s nuclear arsenal.

After taking over command of the Indian Army, General Bipin Rawat  immediately asserted the centrality of the cold start doctrine in the context of India’s military doctrine vis a vis Pakistan.

The PTI said this doctrine is a destabilising, preemptive doctrine that threatens the stability of the nuclear deterrence and shifts India from deterrence to a war-fighting mode against Pakistan.

“Yet our Defence Minister [Khawaja Asif] has maintained an inexplicable silence, reflecting the government’s policy of ignoring a critical strategic development that directly threatens Pakistan,” it said in a statement.

The statement welcomed the successful testing of the submarine launched cruise missile by Pakistan, which gives Pakistan second-strike capability.

However it reiterated that there was a need to address the growing strategic instability holistically as well as to make the world, especially India’s strategic allies, aware of the negative impact and fallout of India’s doctrinal and force posture developments.

“Instead of focusing on and targeting Pakistan’s strictly deterrence measures, the US and others actively aiding and abetting India’s nuclear weapons development should soberly assess the impact of their military aid and support to India,” the PTI added.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 22^nd, 2017.