Defeating Indian designs
The BCCI’s stance has gone hot and cold over the issue
India’s recent role when it comes to the question of resuming cricket ties with Pakistan has been very dubious. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has played a dirty game and is essentially resorting to blackmail to browbeat Pakistan. The BCCI’s stance has gone hot and cold over the issue.
The behaviour of Shiv Sena hooligans in storming the BCCI office in Mumbai some weeks ago to sabotage any possible resumption of cricket ties between Pakistan and India exposed the elements in that country that strongly support the use of violence to achieve their ends. India’s credentials as a democratic and secular polity is now under question internationally.
The Shiv Sena episode was preceded by the now infamous blackening of the face of Sudheendra Kulkarni, who organised the launch of Khursheed Kasuri’s book in India. These episodes clearly indicate that there are elements within India whose ulterior motives include isolating Pakistan internationally.
At the same time, recent events have also exposed India’s violent face, with there being a strong section within that country that wants to destabilise Pakistan. The Pakistani leadership should take stock of this situation with sagacity to counter the designs of these vested interests and refrain from adopting a provocative and aggressive stance. The Indian security establishment may be flexing its muscles to engage the Pakistani military in border skirmishes so as to coerce Pakistani forces into increasing mobilisation on the border and to disengage them from their task of maintaining internal security and thwarting acts of terror.
The military, which has launched operations in Karachi and Fata that have been appreciated by the public, should foil Indian designs and avoid any ugly confrontation with India at this critical juncture.
The top military leadership understands that cleansing the country of internal nefarious elements that are destabilising the country and contributing to terrorism and extremism is the need of the hour and without eliminating such elements, external security cannot be made durable. One hopes that the Pakistani leadership would act wisely to counter the conspiracies against the nation.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 23rd, 2015.
The behaviour of Shiv Sena hooligans in storming the BCCI office in Mumbai some weeks ago to sabotage any possible resumption of cricket ties between Pakistan and India exposed the elements in that country that strongly support the use of violence to achieve their ends. India’s credentials as a democratic and secular polity is now under question internationally.
The Shiv Sena episode was preceded by the now infamous blackening of the face of Sudheendra Kulkarni, who organised the launch of Khursheed Kasuri’s book in India. These episodes clearly indicate that there are elements within India whose ulterior motives include isolating Pakistan internationally.
At the same time, recent events have also exposed India’s violent face, with there being a strong section within that country that wants to destabilise Pakistan. The Pakistani leadership should take stock of this situation with sagacity to counter the designs of these vested interests and refrain from adopting a provocative and aggressive stance. The Indian security establishment may be flexing its muscles to engage the Pakistani military in border skirmishes so as to coerce Pakistani forces into increasing mobilisation on the border and to disengage them from their task of maintaining internal security and thwarting acts of terror.
The military, which has launched operations in Karachi and Fata that have been appreciated by the public, should foil Indian designs and avoid any ugly confrontation with India at this critical juncture.
The top military leadership understands that cleansing the country of internal nefarious elements that are destabilising the country and contributing to terrorism and extremism is the need of the hour and without eliminating such elements, external security cannot be made durable. One hopes that the Pakistani leadership would act wisely to counter the conspiracies against the nation.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 23rd, 2015.