Modi’s threats of war have been met with a confused response by Pakistan
USA: We repeatedly make the same mistake regarding Kashmir and wonder why we have been unable to resolve the issue. Our first opportunity was in the 1960s during the India-China war where instead of extracting concessions from a weakened and defeated India we made the strategically incompetent decision to enter into a ‘no-war’ pact with India — an offer that was snubbed!
Our second opportunity was during PM Vajpayee’s visit to Pakistan where instead of promoting an atmosphere of peace, General Musharraf launched a strategically useless Kargil war. Now PM Modi’s threats of war have been met with a confused response by Pakistan. This was a unique opportunity to rouse the nation and direct it positively by at least effectively highlighting Indian atrocities in an effective manner. This was the perfect moment for all of Pakistan to unite and move towards a singular aim of freeing the people of Kashmir. Instead we have the call to shout nationalist slogans and write ineffective articles. More attention was paid to the Khashoggi murder than to the cruelty in Kashmir. In a normal country those that have misused power and authority would have been dismissed and investigated for incompetence but as usual the very people who have brought this disgrace upon the nation will only continue to praise one another and misrule this country in search of personal benefits and power.
Asif Ayub
Published in The Express Tribune, September 4th, 2019.
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