INDIA MUST REASSESS PAKISTAN STRATGY

 

Pulwama suicide  terror attack, claimed lives of 40 security personnel. India in retaliation launched Balakot strikes targeting terrorist infrastructure inside Pakistan hoping  that military action will deter Pakistan from sponsoring cross border terrorism.   Pakistan continued with strategizing and launching cross border terrorism under active patronage of Pakistan deep state. India was continuously urging Pakistan diplomatically and through international institutional mechanism of United Nations to stop cross border terrorism but with little success.

Pakistan breached the patience threshold   by orchestrating Pahalgam terrorist attack where terrorists attacked a group of tourists in the Baisaran meadows of Pahalgam. It was the first major terror attack on civilians in Kashmir since the Centre ended J&K’s special status in 2019. Attack happened immediately after general (now Filed Marshal) Asif Munirs rant on 16 April 2025. He harped upon two-nation theory and crudely focussed on religious radicalisation by highlighting stark difference between Hindus and Muslims.  

Within week of highly divisive rant, Pahalgam happened. The manner and methodology of gruesome massacre, laid bare the sinister Pakistani plot to foment communal disharmony between Hindus and Muslims. It goes to the credit of both communities that the divisive agenda was defeated.  J&K rose in unison in condemning the brutal massacre.  India took diplomatic steps, which included keeping Indus water treaty of 1960 in abeyance and many other steps to discipline Pakistan. Pakistan in retaliatory mode surprisingly suspended 1972, Shimla agreement making its intent clear   to foment trouble along international border and line of control in Jammu& Kashmir.

India in retaliation exercised option to target terrorist infrastructure inside Pakistan. On intervening night of 06/07 May terrorist headquarters, launch pads and training camps located in Pakistan Punjab and  Pakistan occupied Kashmir were targeted decimating these hubs. Pakistan was informed post strikes that, India does not want escalation, hence only targeted terrorist infrastructure and not military or civilian areas.  Pakistan ignored the sanely advise forcing India into conflict which paused on May 10^th and now is in state of involuntary lull.

An impression gained that conflict was paused with US intervention. India rebutted US administration repeated claims of having negotiated ceasefire between two nuclear neighbours.  It also despatched multiparty parliamentary delegations to world capitals to present evidence of Pakistan involvement in Pahalgam attack, however US Presidents continuous assertions of having negotiated and enforced ceasefire put  both nuclear neighbours in one basket placing  victim and oppressor at same pedestal. Rather post attack global actions seem inclined towards  the perpetrator of terrorism. 

Within days of conflict, to be precise on 04 June 2025, UN Security Council named Pakistan as Vice Chair of United Nations counter terrorism committee and Chair of Taliban sanctions committee. While the conflict was continuing, on 09 May 2025, Friday, the executive board of international monetary fund approved 2.3 billion dollar loan to Pakistan despite Indian objections. There is no doubt that many countries stood with India in its battle against terrorism, only two, Israel and Afghanistan named Pakistan. Here too Beijing played spoil start by hosting a trilateral involving Pakistan and Afghanistan to patch up between two.

India need to analyse, why international community is hesitant to call out Pakistan despite the fact that it stood with India in 1999 and 2008 when Kargil and Mumbai happened. What has changed between now and then?  There could be multiple reasons for ambivalence. The most plausible reason seems inability of India to capture the perpetrators of Pahlgam and establish their nationalities.

What should India do or what steps India need to take to nail Pakistan and expose it as sponsor of cross border terrorism.  It has to be mix of diplomatic and internal cohesion measures. On diplomatic front, India need to restart the process of dialogue through track one and track two process. Adequate diplomatic and people-to-people contacts need restoration without lowering guard. This is must to analyse Pakistan mind set at diplomatic and people-to-people level by analysing available information. By shutting all doors, it will be difficult to carry out honest assessment of adversary intentions, use information to spread influence and sway opinion across the border. 

In order to sway,global opinion in ts favour India needs  to launch diplomatic offensive and take  structured steps to develop internal cohesion, which was visible when Pahalgam happened and completely political spectrum supported government measures against Pakistan. However, post ceasefire, the cohesion seem fragmented with political spectrum  speaking in different voices on important national security issue.

The first step in this regard should be to convene parliament and discuss the issue of Pakistan sponsored terrorism and Indian riposte. The purpose is to send unequivocal message to Pakistan to refrain from mischief with India. Second is to pass a resolution praising  armed forces, which achieved political aims with precision and accuracy thus reassuring whole country of their diehard commitment to protect national sovereignty. Third in the series should be an  all party meeting chaired by Prime minister to discuss national security issues and India’s response to develop a comprehensive national security doctrine  for sub-conventional,conventional  and unconventional conflict matrix   . Fourth in the series should be a parliamentary resolution to place Pakistani nukes under control and regulation of international atomic energy agency.

 Indian government has already reiterated that any future terrorist attack by Pakistan will receive strong response, In addition, strong  diplomatic and internal cohesion steps will send positive message to global world of India’s unison political and parliamentary response. It will certainly help in imposing   caution on Pakistan and deter  from re-embarking on dangerous path of cross border terrorism. India need to use all arsenal at its command, consisting of political and  diplomatic    steps to engage with Pakistan, for peace between two nuclear neighbours which  will not only stabilise region,  will also help usher in new era of people to people contacts, ensure peace at borders and  restart trade between two for economic  development of both nations. There is need to restart engagement   process without lowering guard against any mischief.