How
to Restrain Pakistan
Pakistan has been so to speak, a
pain in the neck since its inception. Through its hostile activities
and a series of terrorist strikes, it has been trying to bleed India
to death, as it were. Negotiations, talks and agreements have failed
because of its antagonistic attitude. Despite the three wars between
the two countries, India has not been able to restrain Pakistan. It
has continued to extend support to terrorist groups through I.S.I. and
the army to destabilize the Indian society. There is a marked American
presence on Pakistan soil now. Even that has not deterred Pakistan
from indulging in anti-India activities. After the terrorist attack on
Indian Parliament on December 13, 2001 India was constrained to deploy
its armies along the Line of Control. Now, after the horrific
terrorist outrage at Kalchuk in Jammu, India can no more continue with
its soft stand towards Pakistan. Suitable action must be taken to
check both the infiltration from across the border and terrorist
activities on the Indian soil.
The question is what suitable
action must India take against Pakistan under the prevailing
circumstances ? The following options come to mind:
1.
To cordon off the entire LOC to check infiltration of
terrorists from across the border.
2.
To enlighten the international community about the severity of
the situation and ask them to restrain Pakistan.
3.
To raise 'squads' to infiltrate Pakistani borders and
destabilize their society.
4.
To wage a limited, calculated war against Pakistan, which may
include specified air strikes, hot pursuit into the enemy territory,
etc.
5.
To wage a full-scale war.
The
last option seems to be a non-option because of the nuclear threat and
the consequent large-scale destruction. Moreover, the internal
composition of Indian society - unity in diversity is such that it
will not allow us to wage an all out war against Pakistan. Limited war
will also be a risky adventure because there are chances of
miscalculation and it may soon turn into a full-scale war. Therefore,
the remaining three options are the only viable options before India
and it must exercise them without any hesitation. Despite the earlier
failures of talks we must keep the doors open for peaceful
negotiations but at the same time we must be strictly vigilant and
there should be no laxity in our preparedness at all levels to face
any eventuality.
The
Rising
Tension Between India and
Pakistan
After the incident of September 11, 2001, the
international scenario has undergone a great change. Terrorism has emerged as a greatly complex problem.
The major super power of the world has been completely shaken
by the terrorist attack on WTC. India, on the other hand has been a victim to terrorist
activities for a long time.
Terrorism from across the border in Jammu and Kashmir is a
matter of great concern for India. The terrorist attack on the Indian
Parliament on December 13 is another matter of grave concern for us.
After this incident tension between India and Pakistan has been on the
rise. India has deployed
its forces on Indo-Pak border. Pakistan too has deployed its forced on
the border. Under such circumstances, when both
the hostile armies
are facing each other
ready to launch an
attack any moment,
war cannot be said to be far away. There seems to be no way
to reduce the tension between
them though
America has
been trying hard
to restore peace
among the two countries.
During the last 50 years or so
India and Pakistan have spent millions of rupees on their defence and
armament but have not been able
to find a lasting solution
to their problems. The
people of both the countries have
suffered a lot because
economic development was
badly affected because of
diversion of funds
to the purchase of arms. But
it is high time now that both the countries sat together to negotiate
a settlement with an
open mind so that
instead of hostilities, they
take to the path of love and peace and work for each other's
progress and
prosperity.
In this regard, the Golden India
Foundation earnestly urges General Pervez Musharraf,
the President of Pakistan and Sh. Atal Behari Vajpai, the Prime
minister of India that both of them should go the "Camp
David" in
the United States
of America where they would be the guests of the American President
and hold talks in a
friendly atmosphere,
of course,
without the mediation of
America. Both the leaders
will be accompanied by high power delegates and representatives so
that they
can arrive at a
conclusion without any
delay. The main objective of this meeting should be that they would
return from America only after signing a peace agreement whether the
negotiations last for a day or twenty days. The following important
points can be included in a draft proposal
agreement between
the two countries:
1.
India should accord the status of 'self rule' to the Indian
part of Kashmir. India
should retain only defense and foreign policy
with it and the Indian currency should prevail there. Likewise
Pakistan should also grant similar autonomy to
Pak- occupied Kashmir.
2.
Pakistan should openly declare and stick to its words that it
will not encourage and support terrorism militarily,
financially and
morally in
any country
and specially in Kashmir.
3.
Both the countries should set up an
international fund of 5 billion dollars for the reconstruction
of Kashmir so
that both the
countries can prosper in peaceful
atmosphere.
4.
Both the countries should sign a treaty in this meeting
regarding no first
nuclear strike.
5.
The present Line of Control should be considered as the border
of the new provinces.
6.
The leaders of both India and Pakistan should understand once
for all in the context of nuclear warfare that there can be no
solution to their problems through war. They have failed to solve them
in the last 50 years despite spending billions of rupees on arms and
armaments and sacrificing hundreds of thousands of lives.
Both the countries now possess nuclear weapons which
can only destroy and
not bring peace.
It is, therefore, imperative for
both India and Pakistan
to accept
the invitation
extended by America to
visit "Camp David"
and decide once for all that they will
not fight any more
battles. They
should take
it as a
challenge and strive for lasting peace.