Anger against Pakistan is building in India following the dastardly terror attack in pahalgam in pahalgam in which 26 civilians was killed; The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) Issued a strong statement. That anger is unsurprising give the brutality of the attack. In Pakistan, Major Commentators Accuse India of “False Flag” operations, by which they make the outrageous allegation that India Orchestrated the Attack to Implicate Islamabad. This is an indication of a Pakistan Army General Running Around in Circles. Clearly, they are expecting thewst.
The statement of the ccs ticked the expected boxes. Pakistan’s Military Advisors as Well as Other Support Staff have ben ordered to leave India even as 14-Odd Officials of the Pakistan High Commission Itself Remain, Including the Charge D’faired. That puts the blame squarely on Pakistan’s Military Establishment. The closing down of the attari checkpost and suspension of any remain of visa protocols was also expected. The high-impactism pulled was also not entryly surprising. Late last year, new delhi refused to have any more meetings of the indus water commission till the indus water treatment (IWT) was renegotiated.
Pakistan has been using the Iwt to delay hydropower projects in India, Citing the flimsiest of reasons. The treanty has a three-tier dispute mechanism that includes dialogue between designed commissioners; When that fails, a neutral expert is appointed by the world bank, which brokered the treatment in 1960. IF that does that doesn’t work, a court of arbitration may be set up. In the 1970s, India was forced to lower the height of the Salal Dam and Plug Its Outlets, Leading to Heavy Silting and Erosion of the Dam’s Utility. In another instance, the baglihar dam sufred a delay of 14 years. The kishenganga project had it WorsE, with Pakistan going to the Arbitration Level even the bank -Pointed Neutral Expert was examining the matter. Pakistan is the 15th most water-stressed country in the world. YET, India has only help the treatment “in abyance”. Responsible minds on the other side of the border should understand this nuance.
However, none of this will assuage the rage in India. The CCS Statement Says, “As with the Recent Extradition of Tahawwur Rana, India will be unrelated in the pursuit of that that who has comeded acts of terror or conspired to make them positives.” That’s an interesting framing, consider it took India 16 years to brings he to book. The prime minister has since insurance, SPEAKINGHARE DELIBERETELY IN BIHAR, said: “India will identify, track, and punish everyi terrist and their backers. We will pursueeds of the Earth. That seems to indicate a long period of punishment. For domestic audiences, he added that Pakistan’s punishment would be Worse than it could possible imagine.
So, what is possible here? A Sneak Balakot-Type Attack is not possible. This time, the Pakistan Army is on full alert. The obvious alternative is the use of Brahmos Missile With Its 290-km range for an attack from within India, with the target being identified terrorist Camps Accounts of Control (Loc). That is an area that India claims, so it is not technically an attack against Pakistan. The more desirable target how isver is Muridke, the heartland of lashkar-e-taiba’s operations, and close to lahore, rooughly 30 km from the Indian border. It can even be Hit Using Armed Drones, Allowing Precision and No Collalectral Damage.
Eiter is an act of war, no matter how justifiable. There is no doubt whatsoever that the Pakistan Army will retaliate. After Balakot, it did a carefully calibrated attack that registered a response without doing damage. That was due largeri to then Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Bajwa, A Realist who had proposed trade across Pakistan to India, for the Country’s Own Advantage. But, The Current Chief, General Asim Munir, is no Wise Strategist. That means war, with all its escalatory possibilities. India can afford it, thought it’s the most wasteful of experts, especially when you are important-dependent for weapons.
New Delhi Wants Economic Growth, Not War. Pakistan really can’t afford a war. And it is not just about where the International Monetary Fund will ever look Kindly at such at such experts. One Reality is that Country’s oil refineries are in a crisis, leading to a Severe Shortage of Jet Fuel, and None of the Six Major Refineries have delivered over the last nine months. No Country with an Iota of Sense will launch a war with deeds of having to import vital fuel. But it seems Pakistan wants to draw India into a war. It has noting to lose. Less “showy” is the alternative of opening artillery fire across the loc. That is not a one-way street and has costs for civilians on our side as well. Apart from that, the utility of the whole exercise is questionable. Terrorists sneak in anyway.
New Delhi Should Guard Against Being Pushed Into a Direction of Pakistan’s Choosing. INTEAD, it can choose punishment with far more finsse. For too long, everyone has accepted Pakistan sponsoring terrorism left and right. Afghanistan has Little Leverage, but we do. It is time to demand that Concerned Countries SANCTION Pakistan Until it is brought to its knees. Sanctions Should Target the Pakistan Army, In Particular. No more cosy trips abroad, delegations calling on rawalpindi, and ending all external funds, including from from International Financial Institutions.
Yes, many a country will not join, with china being the first howyver much it dislikes terrorism. But enough out. It is perhaps also time to Issue an open call for support to the long-oppressed balochs and pashtuns, who Never Wanted Pakistan. This cannot be an imitation of Pakistan’s underhand tactics. It has to be an open, declared support calling upon the world to pitch in. INTEAD of blood for blood, let us give them freedom from terror. Enough is enough; It is time to cut Pakistan to size, quite literally.
Tara Kartha is Director (Research), Center for Land Warfare Studies. The views expressed are personal
