Belligerent Modi

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has alleged that Pakistan is trying to stay relevant through “terrorism” and “proxy war”. These remarks by a prime minister whose government has spearheaded both domestic and regional animosities mark a troubling resurgence of jingoistic rhetoric that undermines the prospects for regional peace. Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO) has rightly condemned Modi’s comments as “bravado and jingoism” that are counter-productive to the resolution of long-standing disputes, particularly the core issue of Kashmir. Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch in a statement on Friday said that the Indian prime minister cannot divert the world’s attention from the brutalities being committed by Indian forces in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Islamabad also called on New Delhi to “reflect on its own campaign of orchestrating targeted assassinations, subversion and terrorism in foreign territories” and asked the Modi-led regime to avoid maligning others for terrorism. Pakistan’s FO has given the right response to Modi’s factually incorrect and irresponsible statement.

It is no secret that Pakistan has done everything in its power to end cross-border terrorism and not react to provocation by the Indian authorities under the Modi government. Pakistan has always sought to take a road far more nuanced and responsible in diplomacy. This is in contrast to India’s heavy-handed tactics in suppressing the legitimate aspirations of the Kashmiri people. Even amidst such tensions, Pakistan has consistently expressed a willingness to engage in dialogue. Last month, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar reiterated Pakistan’s openness to normalizing relations with India, advocating for good-neighbourly ties based on mutual respect, sovereign equality, and a just resolution of the Occupied Jammu and Kashmir issue. In actual fact, it is India that is involved in cross-border terrorism and not the other way round. Not only did India carry out assassinations in other countries but the Indian defence minister confirmed the involvement of Indian intelligence agency RAW in orchestrating the murders of at least 20 individuals in Pakistan since 2020 after a damning investigative report was published in The Guardian.

From Canada to the US to the UK to Pakistan, India has either carried out assassinations or has tried to carry out assassination attempts. This clearly shows how dangerous a country India has become, particularly after Modi took over in 2014. His third time will be yet another disaster, especially when it comes to unprovoked aggression against its neighbours just to divert attention from the domestic abuses the Indian state is carrying out in IIOJK and other areas. Observers say that had it been any other country that had done what India did on foreign soil – especially in Canada and the US – the international community would have taken drastic steps rather than just a nudge on the hand. India has gotten away with literal murder because the West ‘needs’ India to counter China in the region.

Pakistan has talked many times about normalizing relations with India but the Modi government has always responded with its usual spiel of ‘terror-free environment’. Such responses by the Modi government point to the fact that India does not want to resolve the issue of Occupied Kashmir. The treatment meted out to minorities in India is unforgivable, and under Modi the country has curbed freedom of expression like no other, has waged a war on India’s Muslim citizens and has hounded dissenting voices in India like there is no tomorrow. It is apparent that when India causes tensions in the region, it is the Modi government’s tactic to divert attention from the atrocities it is committing in its own country. The world needs to stand up to Modi’s tyranny rather than molly-coddling it. The path to peace lies not in reviving old animosities but in addressing grievances through diplomatic channels. The international community, particularly influential players such as the United States, China, and the European Union, must play a proactive role in facilitating dialogue and de-escalating tensions. For the sake of the millions living in India and Pakistan, and for regional stability, it is imperative that India shake off its Modi-led politics of hatred.