India has been keenly watching Imran’s recent US visit. India gleefully lapped up his travel by a regular Qatar passenger flight. A low-key reception at the US airport and commuting by a regular bus from the tarmac until the arrival lounge, all downplayed in Pak media did not miss our media.
Characteristic of a cricketer, Imran lobbed a googly, requesting US President Trump to mediate on the vexed Kashmir. A poll-facing president also bit the hook while claiming that Modi had also asked him to mediate on the Kashmir issue.
That is not, however, my focus in this post. Imran imitated Modi in addressing a 30000 Pakistani crowd in a stadium, which by all accounts is mammoth in any part of the west. Imran admitted that the earlier Pakistan prime ministers had consistently misled by claiming that there were no terrorists in Pakistan, which he said could be between 30000 and 40000. He also stunned by admitting that it was the Pakistan ISI that had led the CIA to Osama Bin Laden’s capture and killing.
Imran did not stop at that; he further admitted that it was Jaish-e-Mohammed, which had orchestrated attack at Pulwama. The admissions are by far the most damning disclosures and confessions by any Pakistani leader ever. Their top army brass must be swearing and sweating at the civilian leader’s foolhardy attempt in breaching the brief given to him.
The record of Pakistan leadership falling out with the army top brass is well known. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Benazir were both executed. Nawaz Sharif is in Jail. Imran seems to be a man in a hurry, daring to hit sixers and the army umpiring against his every move.
What if India and Pakistan admit a mediation and sit on a table? It will lay not only the Kashmir valley but also POK on the table of negotiations and here comes the China angle. China has already invested hugely in the OBOR, running through POK, despite the Indian Government’s warnings and protests. They will neither back off, nor yield the annexed territories in the Aksai Chin area. India can continue to suffer the situation for a few more decades or take a decisive step, marching into POK and driving the infiltrators out.
In any case, admission of terrorists’ presence within Pakistan is a calculated gamble of Imran Khan. He may have done this to warn and isolate the terrorists and prove to the western world that he is the best bet for them to lead his country. Imran received a hero’s welcome on his return from the US, the leader and claimed that it was akin to his arrival after the world cup victory in 1992.
Imran has to watch out for the disgruntled generals, who could feel slighted, and the seething terrorists, who may attempt another ‘a-la-Benazir’ on him.
Peace be upon South Asia and the world.
Sampath Kumar
Intrépide Voix