Through its words, calm behavior and vigorous action in the wake ofMumbai tragedy of 26th November 2008 at the hands of terrorists, Pakistan has made its intentions known that it means business and that its fight against terrorism is real.

The facts on the ground further testify this as Pakistan being in theforefront of “war on terror” is losing the lives of its soldiers on daily basis. Suffering from the loss of prosperity in random bomb blasts as well as the flight of capital due to the ever aggravating law and order situation bad enough to discourage foreign investors, Pakistan, whether Indian or American require it or not, can’t afford to go soft on terrorists. It has certainly become Pakistan ’s own fight.

Pakistan’s survival as a modern, progressing welfare state where people,  independent of any considerations of cast, color, or creed are free to exercise their right to freedom of choice, religion and life style, is at stake. Pakistan is essentially to become an Islamic democracy where being Muslim is not a privilege; it rather is an obligation, a greater responsibility towards society, its institutions and fellow human beings.

The fanatics who consider Islam as a privilege and want to extend its benefits to other people by force, are doing what God has never wanted them to do. God in the Quran says, ‘there is no compulsion in Religion.’ (2:256)

In an Islamic society nonbelievers have the same social, political, 
ethnic and religious rights as Muslims. No one is superior to others on the basis of faith. Only God knows if one is superior to other on the basis of “Fear of God”, but then this status has no political, social and religious bearing in Islam, unless the society benefits from such people, and they will get their reward from God here or in the hereafter as He wishes.

Pakistan is already hugely put up against such obscurantists who don’t believe in such logic of Islam. However, completely ignoring the plight of  Pakistan being knee deep, rather drowned in the problem of terrorism, Indian robust reaction on Mumbai terrorist attack and its diplomatic offensive coupled with a battery of threats of military action, left much to be desired. It simply ignored all overtures that Pakistan offering joint investigation and other relevant measures to counter terrorism in South Asia made towards India to tackle the problem. This indicated that Indian objective was beyond its stated discourse on terrorism.

Repeating the mantra of “ Pakistan should do more, and fulfill its promises”,  India just wanted to put Pakistan on the defensive and isolate it in international community on the question of terrorism. Despite Pakistan ’s monumental fight and sacrifices to check the ever growing menace of terrorism in and around the country, Pakistan was suddenly left friendless, except to the fact that a crucial diplomatic departure of China came timely and it took some pressure off Pakistan .

Otherwise offensive, rather extremely blotted press conferences of Indian foreign minister, Paranab Mukerjee (Makar Ji) are still going on on daily basis. He keeps demanding that Pakistan should fulfill all its promises what it has made with international community (the promises that even Pakistan nation is unaware of). On 14th Jan. Indian chief on army staff, General Deepak Kapoor came out with yet another outburst against Pakistan .

He rather blatantly borrowing a phrase from notoriously bashed
president of the US said “‘all options are open to India .” This came just “Ahead of schedule delivery of first of three Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) this week by Israel to India with dozens of technicians and electronic war fare advisors with a promise that in case of war Israel would side with India .

It did not end here. Close at heel there came Indian Home minister, P Chidambaram’s vitriol. Accusing Pakistan of doing nothing to bring to justice the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks he said “There are many, many links between India and Pakistan , and if Pakistan does not cooperate and does not help to bring the perpetrators to heel, those ties will become weaker
and weaker and one day snap.” Along with this Indian Media failed terribly to uphold the truth. Swayed by the nationalistic demeanour of the people in the street, it did its utmost to stoke the fire of hatred and insanity against Pakistan.

On moral, legal and ethical grounds the Indian behaviour, at best, can be classified as rogue, intimidating and illogical. However, India was not alonein its act of disparage. The moment of reckoning came when the most diabolical, inhumane and unprincipled state, Israel chipped in on Indian side and offered its full logistic and diplomatic support in case India went in a war with Pakistan.

It was not unexpected of Israel but was certainly disconcerting to Pakistan  as it was a close ally of the US , and was in the fore front of its war on terror. Further, because any such things from Israel would not take place unless it had full backing of the US .

On the other hand, all through this crisis which is yet far from over, Pakistan government has behaved responsibly. It can be blamed for a lot of other things, but its calm and quite response to Indian barrage of nonsensical and debased allegations and emotional vitriol, was orderly, though not well organized at the same time. We were firm but polite. We understood the Indian urgencies of election year and sifted facts from fiction ourselves, although preparing at the same time for any eventuality.

Some politician and men in the streets were jittery and wanted to
respond to Indian Jingoism with matching verve though. Through its small talks, short temper and ill advised selection of words the Indian leadership utterly showed its incapacity to engage in any meaningful discourse concerning the future of one sixth of humanity in this part of the world. They have remained petty, myopic and extremely distrustful, they were 60 years ago. They still don’t seem to have reconciled with the existence of Pakistan and seek  morbid  pleasure over it difficulties and gloat over any news of its disappearance from the Globe.

What a pity, Pakistan has to live with such neighbor! However, at the same time the situation lays a greater responsibility on Pakistan, to protect the interests of people living on both side of the divide by neutralizing the diabolical agenda of Hindu extremist nationalist movements in India and the obscurantist and extremist hoggish outfits in Pakistan . Of course the fight is colossal and is beyond the capacity of a country like Pakistan . The West and the US have to side with Pakistan to bring peace, stability and prosperity to the region. The West needs to pay their debt to South Asia by helping Pakistan undo the impact of their hasty, illogical and ill thought policies in the region.

Information

Pakistan’s survival as a modern, progressing welfare state where  people, independent of any  considerations of cast, color, or creed are free to exercise their right to freedom of choice, religion and life style, is  at stake.

 First appeared in Pakistan Observer, Islamabad on 24th Jan., 2009