Destiny has made Pakistan our neighbour, and it is time that you must consider a rollback of the war-cries and usual rhetoric and try some out-of-box-thinking to come out of the rut. Your terrorists’ outfits have grown beyond controllable size and threaten the fate of your beleaguered nation. The groups, JeM, LeT or Hizbul, have spread their tentacles to many parts of India, from Kerala to Kashmir, as well as causing disruptions everywhere in the world bringing disrepute to your nation.
Your nation has a bloodied history with many leaders executed; Zulfikar Bhutto, Gen Zia, Benazir to name a few. A few others have been exiled or jailed for corruption. A mighty army prevails over puppet regimes, and generals are de facto rulers your nation, who live on their propaganda of annexing Kashmir valley and defeating India in a military war. They have not been able to come to terms with their successive defeats in 1965, 71 and 99 encounters with India.
In such a scenario you take charge Mr Imran Khan; you have been fighting the corrupt regime of Nawaz Shariff and were a welcome change. It is time you call the bluff of the generals, who often threaten us with their nuclear armaments. It is time that you come out of the shadows of the military and the terrorists.
Your nation’s obsession with Kashmir has cost you dearly, made your country bankrupt and a pariah. It is now time to make amends and re-write history, not for the sake of yourself, but for the sake of the millions of youth and children, who are growing amidst hatred and frustration. The past will be forgotten, the present has to be lived in peace, and the future must be secure and safe for every citizen of both countries.
India has never been a jingoistic or a warmongering state, our concern is elsewhere, and we have repeatedly proved it to you that your size and might are no match to ours. If our country would have wished, we could have chosen to retaliate in military terms after the cowardly URI attack but restrained with the surgical strikes. Now too, the air strikes are not a threat to your country’s sovereignty, but to erase the threat of terrorism from wherever, within our country or yours.
As the prime minister of Pakistan, do what your predecessors have failed to do. Please sit with India without crafty generals around you and analyze how our strong economic strength can bail your nation out. You could try the following: a) stop the Chinese usage of Gilgit region for any activity b) withdraw from OBOR, which will bleed your nation economically c) wind up all terror camps and make the listed terrorists face the law in our courts (don’t worry, there are several options for clemencies and condonation and they all could die of natural ageing) d) leave Kashmir in peace.
Do it not for you, but for the sake of humanity, and both our nations can thrive in prosperity, diverting a portion of the defence costs for the welfare of our citizens. Or stay with the generals and perish as a nation!
Sampath Kumar
Intrépide voix
