I have not yet taken up writing on political issues and matters. But the recent statements of the British prime minister about and against Pakistan are really itchy, annoying and hurting. It seems that the honourable prime minster is still part of the old British empire of the Indian subcontinent and is addressing a sovereign country just like his own subjects. The same way the lowly paid British officers did in those times of British occupation of the Indian subcontinent, which they forcibly and tacitly snatched from the Mogul rulers, who very innocently allowed them to do trade with the resource rich India. And after plundering and looting the wealth of India, they left when the uprisings against them make intolerable.
And even when the British were leaving, they left behind the issue of Jammu and Kashmir unresolved by handing over this Muslim majority region to India rather than Pakistan, as was agreed in the terms and conditions of the division of India. This was done by a person no less than Mountbatten, who pleased his Hindu friends rather than upholding fare justice. And since this unjustifiable act of the British, India and Pakistan have fought a number of wars and the same issue remains a bone of contention between the two countries and continues to threaten peace and stability in the region.
Now instead of making amends and assisting both Pakistan and India to resolve the issue peacefully, the British prime minister recently asserts that Britain will not get into resolving the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. How very ironic.
And if that is not enough. The fiery prime minister “demands” of Pakistan of closure of all terrorist training camps and taking “immediate” actions against some banned outfits. The harsh tone fails to realize that Pakistan, which has been dragged into this so called war on terror, has already done much more than it could do. And had paid a very heavy price since getting in to assisting the USA in its own kind of war. It may be very easy and pleasing for British or American soldier to kill an Afghani or Iraqi or even a Muslim and go back home boasting of his excellent shooting skills. But for a Pakistani killing another Pakistani is something very different. But still our forces do it in the larger interest of Pakistan, and no one else.
And then operating in the tribal areas is not an easy task. Have the British forgotten the three Afghan wars they fought in the tribal areas of present day Pakistan. These are the same areas where they were defeated time and again despite superiority in numbers, weaponry and technology. The dynamics of Afghanistan and people of tribal areas of Pakistan are much more different than those anywhere else in the world. And that is the reason that the coalition forces in Afghanistan have yet to make substantial gains or to subdue the Afghans. Merely supporting the minority non Pashtoons, they cannot bring peace to Afghanistan. Unless they bring in the main stream Pashtoons, they would never succeed. This is what Pakistan is trying to do simultaneously with fighting on with the dissidents/Talibans. So let it never be said that Pakistan is not doing enough.
Whenever any British official visits India, he always blames Pakistan for every ill things done anywhere in the world only to please the Indians. This is something which is not new to us in Pakistan. Even the members of the British Parliament have objected to the statements made by their own prime minister and have asked him to apologize, as per a newspaper.
Pakistan has very rightly strongly reacted to the harsh statements of the British prime minister and has decided to take up the matter with the British government. Even the general public of Pakistan feels badly hurt since it is they who have been facing and bearing the brunt of war on terror in the form of suicide bombings. Countless innocent Pakistanis have lost their lives, besides thousands of soldiers and officers of Pakistan Army.
Ever pondered how many British soldiers lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan? Not more than a hundred or may be a little more. So who is doing and losing more? And still the world says that Pakistan is not doing enough.
1 comments:
I think we are becoming too sensitive.
He said something right at wrong place.
He is new in Public Office and one should be gracios enough to ignore such comments.
Life goes on...................
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