Indo-Pak progress stymied by soldiers' mutilation

16 January, 2013

Mercenaries, official Jehadis, Pakistan's regular army or sundry Lashkars; all of them or one of them beheaded an Indian soldier. It was against all norms of warfare and contrary to the teachings of Islam. They brought no laurels to Muslims of Pakistan or anywhere and there was no material gain, no achievement and no victory of sort in their heinous act. It reminded of dark ages.

TODAY, PAKISTAN is imploding from a free-for-all internecine combat involving politicians, top clerics, military and judiciary. People are storming the doors of power in Islamabad. There is no point in repeating the cliché that you reap what you sow. Pakistan is in for real trouble. There is a pattern in all these developments.

On this side of border, the forces, which are antagonistic to any idea of friendship with Pakistan when they are not in power, have a field’s day. They have their itching fingers at the trigger. They are vehemently accusing UPA for inaction, lukewarm response so on and so far. Nothing less than an equation of one-for-ten would satisfy them.

Government of the day, which, like always, appeared indecisive and confused in the beginning, is now calling some shots through proper channels. These are difficult times. Arun Jaitley, the leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha blamed the prime minister for delay in response – “That it took so long for the PM to react makes me wonder if today’s statement is out of conviction or compulsion.” In nutshell it means – we shall not let you off the hook!

In this murky scenario, Hina Rabbani Khar, the foreign minister of Pakistan tried to present a voice of sweet deception. According to her, “…India needs to catch up. Pakistan today presents a country, which is very clear in its head as to how it wants to operate with its neighbors. And the way we want to operate with our neighbors is to try and build on that trust enough to be able to build an environment in which we can take care of the disputes that we have on a dialogue table rather through military statements and through military actions.”

Pakistan must know that sweet sounding words are no substitute for hard realities created by mindless brutal acts from someone in Pakistan. We want that culprit should be brought to light, the crime should be proportionally punished and we want the precious head of our martyr back. Nothing short of that would satisfy an Indian. Do it and prove that you are sincere. Demagogues without facts often enter the wetland of dementia.

We know that wars have never brought perfect solutions to problems. Filtered bravado had rarely done the needful. But one can’t ignore the mood of aggrieved masses and wounded psychology. The decapitation of Indian soldier has destroyed and stymied all good work and sincere efforts of well-meaning entities from both sides of the LoC till date. They are now reduced to a laughing stock. We do also know who wears the breaches in the present anarchy of Pakistan. They should wake up. It is a decisive moment for them. They must show discretion and smoke out the culprits from arid hills of Pakistan or rat holes. Their foolish acts had caused the dismemberment of Pakistan in the past. Let them learn from history and sermons in stone.