Dear Editor,
As 9/11 changed the world’s perception on terror especially by Super Power USA, India should use the 16/12 ghastly massacre of innocent school children in Peshawar to highlight the flawed state policies of promoting terror organisations. The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to UN General Assembly has made this point very clear that there cannot be good and bad terrorists. Later on in the White House communique, both leaders of the oldest and largest democracies have been categorical in condemning terrorism in all its forms, thus India struck its chords rightly in the international diplomacy.
Of late, lots of debates/discussions emanated in TV channels and editorials whether Pakistan would take a lesson out of it and stop promoting terrorist organisations freely operating from its soil. Even believing so for theoretical purposes would be naïve on the part of Indian foreign policy mandarins and armed forces. Those advocating the Peshawar incident as a turning point in the history of Pakistan are forgetting the earlier landmarks such as Lal Masjid encounter, assassination of Benazir Bhutto and elimination of Osama Bin Laden by US Seals in Abottabad. It would not be fair to compare Pakistan to demons (Asuras) waging innumerable wars on Gods (Suras) which necessitated the descent of Lord Vishnu in many Avatars such as Rama, Narasimha etc, but it is definitely a troubling neighbour.
India instead of adopting the passive strategy of leaving Pakistan to reform on its own, which may not take place at all and even if it happens it may take centuries, hence not acceptable to a regional player like India which is eyeing for permanent seat in UN Security Council. At the same time, India should not resort to any illegal means as being adopted by the neighbouring state of Pakistan. According to me, India should take initiative in mobilising the public opinion in Pakistan against the state policies prmoting Jihadi terror against India. This would be possible only by openly promoting a new political party in Pakistan by roping in sensible civil society members, Nobel Laureate Malala. India should not hesitate in extending overt financial support to these peace groups advocating ‘Aman’ in the region in response to covert support to Jihadis by Pakistani state as well as army. This would be a ‘tit for tat’ policy to Pakistan’s proxy war and moreover strengthening the democratic forces commited to peace is neither illegal nor interference in the affairs of the neighbouring nation. I am yearning for the day when Malala Yousafzai would take over the reins in Pakistan as she was stating in one of her interviews (may be in lighter vein), and India should not leave it to her fate but should support her actively as she is the best bet in future, for the peace and stability of the Indian subcontinent.
Amulya Gupta
Jammu
