India’s war hysteria

Civilian leadership gave a sharp response to the Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat’s  statement on ‘calling Pakistan’s nuclear bluff.’ Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal said that both Indian Army Chief’s and US President Trump’s statements indicate that international forces are trying to pressurize Pakistan. He said India has directly threatened us and this careless statement shows its leadership mindset. He urged all nuclear power states to exercise caution .and control. The minister raised questions over the possibility of India’s inclusion in the nuclear suppliers Group in the light of such like irresponsible statements.

In his response, Foreign Minister Kkwaja Asif said that General Rawat’s threat amounted to an invitation for nuclear encounter. “If that is what they desire, they are welcome to test our resolve, the General’s doubt will swiftly be removed “The military leadership gave a measured response and described Indian Army Chief, s statement “unwarranted, irrational and bluff itself”

There is a degeneration of leadership qualities in the rank and file of Bhartia Janta Party (BJP) with the ascendency of Narendra Modi to the saddle of power. His predecessors never gave a freehand to military leadership to issue threat of nuclear war to another nuclear power in the neighborhood. The incumbent Indian Prime Minister lacks the wisdom and sagacity of his predecessor BJP Prime Ministers like Morarjee Desai and Attal Bihari Vajpai. Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was quite optimistic that Pak India relations will improve in the present BJP government and earnestly participated in the oath taking ceremony of Narendra Modi but instead of reciprocating goodwill he charge sheeted his Pakistani counterpart in one-one meeting. The same charge sheet, blaming Pakistan for exporting terrorism, was highlighted by the then Indian Foreign Secretary Ms Sujata Singh in a press conference when t Nawaz Sharif was still present in New Delhi. But a befitting response was not given to repudiate the Indian allegations. Pakistan’s former Prime Minister always preferred to play a second fiddle role while interacting with his Indian counterpart. In a Joint Communiqué of the meeting between Nawaz Sharif and Narendra Modi in Ufa in July 2015 mere reference to Kashmir dispute was omitted which invited criticism from the political analysts and retired career diplomats of our foreign service. The absence of Pakistani officials in the meeting between Narendra Modi a,ccompanied by the members of his entourage, and Nawaz Sharif along with his all family members at Jati Umra Raiwand was again criticized by political analysts. This demeanor of the ruling party leadership emboldened the Indians to take their Pakistani counterpart for granted, because the latter always avoided talking on equal footings and from the position of strength.

The ruling PML-N is on the path of open confrontation with state institutions and opposition parties whereas the volatile situation of this region and India’s hegemonic designs necessitates political stability and sagacity on the part of political leadership. The tradition of looking up to the ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in decisions about national and international affairs must end now. The need of the hour is that leadership of all political parties should be on the same page in the conduct of international relations.