IT is absolutely insane for two nuclear armed neighbouring states to be in a constant state of confrontation.
Both countries must accept this geographical reality and learn to coexist.
They have a choice to accept and respect the territorial sovereignty of each other, or be involved in this senseless state of constant confrontation, instead of focusing to alleviate the millions living below the poverty line in both countries.
The horrific impact of a nuclear war will destroy life, as we know it, for more than a century and render barren fertile lands and kill millions on both sides.
Sanity becomes a casualty when hate infected leadership, obsessed with Hindu supremacist ideologies is at helm.
Both MAJ and Gandhi Jee had advised them to live in peace and harmony.
Modi has become a cult figure, who derives popularity and oxygen from hate and Hindu supremacist ideologies.
Such a cult populist destroyed Germany, which was far more powerful than America is, or India may wish to be.
It is unfortunate that a country created by such leaders like Gandi Jee, who believed in non-violence and tolerance for members of other faiths and ethnicities, is today ruled by Hindu supremacists who protect vigilante groups involved in mob lynching of Muslims and members of other faiths, demolition of their places of worship.
This is a group which has erected a Murti for a Shiv Sena activist, named Nathuram Godse, who murdered Gandhi Jee, the father of modern India.
It is unfortunate that their elected PM was accused of mass murder of Muslims, while he was CM of Gujrat and continues to deploy this hate inspired strategy, as a political tool.
PM Modi should seek inspiration from Gandhi Jee instead of extremist Zionists like Netanyahu, who are involved in what has been declared by ICJ as genocide in Gaza.
Tibet Plateau under control of China is the upper riparian for Indian rivers, originating from Himalayan mountains, such as Brahmaputra, and Indus etc.
River Ganges originates from Western Himalayas.
By the force of gravity, Indus then flows to Pakistan to feed its five rivers.
The Indus Water Basin Treaty was signed in 1960 by both countries with guarantees from World Bank, based on the principle of water sharing rights between upper and lower riparian regions.
India is the upper riparian to Pakistan, just as China is to India.
International laws prohibit unilateral suspension of such treaties and the natural gravitational flow of water cannot be halted abruptly.
Any disruption risks triggering a dangerous water conflict, possibly escalating into a nuclear confrontation with catastrophic human and environmental consequences.
Fertile lands would be rendered barren, and millions of lives—human, animal, and plant—would be lost.
Due to Pakistan’s limited strategic depth, nuclear fallout could spread beyond its borders, affecting India and others.
These ongoing provocations must stop.
Peaceful resolution through dialogue based on justice and equality is imperative.
Water should be a tool for cooperation, not conflict, and must never become a trigger for mutual destruction in a volatile nuclear environment.
Sanity seems to be hostage to hate obsessed Hindu-supremacist mindset that is at helm in India.
Pakistan’s leadership must also realize that they need to restore Jinnah’s vision of a modern democratic welfare state, where all citizens must enjoy equal rights and justice without any discrimination as to sect, faith and ethnicity etc.
We need to set our house in order and focus on restoring the spirit of tolerance and equality, which MAJ elaborated upon in his 11 August 1947 address to First Constituent Assembly.
There was, and is no space for extremist outfits like TPP, TLP, Lashkars nor sectarian groups in Jinnah’s Pakistan.
A country like India, which dreams of seeking a place in the elite group of permanent members of Security Council at UN, with veto power, cannot afford to behave in such an irrational manner.
There is no doubt that India has very close links with Israel and has support of AIPAC lobby.
It is also supported by the West to confront China and promote their vital strategic goals.
There was time that Pakistan played a similar role, in being party to America’s proxy war against the Soviet Union.
Pakistan has suffered a lot because of this.
There is also a paradigm change in the military leadership in Pakistan, which unlike its predecessors are not hostage to their own conflicts of interest, such as the role by Asim Bajwa.
The response to Pahalgam terrorist attack by the political and uniformed establishment was swift and unequivocal.
Pakistan has unequivocally condemned this terrorist incident and demanded an independent probe by known international institutions of repute.
This country is itself a victim of terrorist attacks, funded and aided by known enemies like India on its western borders.
In the aftermath of India’s unilateral revocation of IOK status through Article 370, followed with attempts to change demography, has created resentment and this has resulted in resurgence of resentment within local population.
This could be a factor in this latest incident.
What India needs to realize is that ground realities have changed.
India has crossed many red lines, such as suspension of IWBT signed in 1960 and wishes to impose a blockade of Pakistan’s sea ports and other sensitive assets, which will effectively cut off the blood line of Pakistan.
Such extreme steps will leave no choice for Pakistan, but to deploy all its tools to protect its territorial integrity and water resources, so vital for the economic survival of this country and the vital food supply chain for over 240Million citizens of Pakistan.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Lahore. (mtrqa213@gmail.com)
