by Brig Arun Bajpai (Retd)

Starting from 26/11 when 10 Pakistani Army trained Jihads took Mumbai to ransom for four days, killing 164 people which included four Americans, Attack on Indian Parliament, Attack by  Jihadist in URI, Pathankot air base and so on so forth, India did not retaliate may be because of lack of political will. However, after surgical strike to avenge URI in 2017 followed by Balakot Air strike in Feb this year followed by artillery fire fight just a few days back, shows that India is now changing its stance and is ready to deal fire from Pakistan with Fire. However, it has taken us 72 odd years to learn that tail of a dog like Pakistan can not be straightened by just putting it in a pipe. You have to cut it.

Having learned the lesson maybe in a hard way in last 72 years, that any concessions shown to a country like Pakistan is taken by Pakistan read Pakistani Army, which runs that country as our weakness. It is good that now India has realised that only way to deal with Pakistan is to be pro- active. Being reactive with this country has resulted in us being overshadowed by Pakistani Army and its shenanigans. For this both Congress Government which ruled this country for almost 60 years and BJP Governments are responsible. Initially Modi Government also started in 2014 on the lines of Congress. However, by 2017 it realised that Pakistan will not change if we continue to show restraint. So, we went for surgical strike in 2017 followed by Balakot air strike in Feb this year. Now within five months of Modi 2 we are bombarding Pakistan with our artillery concentrations killing their 10 soldiers and 35 Jihadist just two days back.

With Pakistan on verge of economic collapse , its economy down to 3% of growth rate, its people on verge of revolt due sky rocketing prices of daily use items, Maulana Fazlur Rehman threatening a march by 27 Oct to oust the Government of Imran khan , its Army Chief Bajwa and Imran Khan falling apart , nevertheless despite being on grey list of FATF which has given Pakistan time till Feb 2020 to end giving protection to Jihadist and terror funding, thanks to the combined efforts of China, Malaysia and Turkey , Pakistan has wasted no time in falling to its old ways of sheltering Jihadist and terror funding, calling this respite by FATF on 18 Oct 2019 as their victory of the sorts. In other words, come what may this country will not change. So, what are the options for India?

We must let go our policy of restraint when dealing with Pakistan. Can anybody believe that recently when PM Modi said during an election rally in Haryana that we will stop all excess water flowing to Pakistan which is basically meant for India in Indus water treaty, which itself is very bountiful to Pakistan thanks to then PM Nehru, Pakistan is threatening us with war. Great so this beggar country wants to go to war with us, a country eight times larger than Pakistan? on water which belongs to us? India must take this challenge. Time has also come when India must deal with Pakistan sponsored proxy war with our own proxy war. No proxy war can be won by conventional war a fact which we must understand. In any case Pakistan is blaming us with proxy war in its Baluchistan and Sind provinces, so why should we stop? of course all our actions must be covert with no proof. Let us concentrate in breaking Pakistan with Baluchistan and Sind provinces becoming independent countries. Similarly, we should encourage Afghanistan to claim major portion of Pakhtoon Kwha province of Pakistan where bulk of Pashtun population of Pakistan with cultural ties with Afghanistan’s 52% Pashtun population stays. already there is move to have greater Pashtunistan. With Pakistan being bankrupt it is time we strike, of course covertly in league with Afghanistan. In India we must understand that Pakistan read Pakistani Army will never allow both countries to be friends because Pakistani Army has to run its business of 20 billion dollars in Pakistan which has been made possible by Pakistani Army’s hate India campaign with, they claiming to be savoir of Pakistani population.

Brig Arun Bajpai (Retd) is a distinguished Defence and Strategic Analyst. Views expressed are of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of IDN. IDN does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same