Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday termed India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) ‘an enemy organisation’, saying it has been formed to undo Pakistan.
“RAW has been formed to undo Pakistan and to wipe Pakistan off the map of the world,” Asif said, during a television interview.
The defence minister’s statement came hours after the top military commanders accused India’s military spy agency, RAW, of fuelling terrorism in Pakistan in a rare public statement that may renew hostilities between the two hyphenated but hostile neighbours.
“The conference took serious notice of RAW’s involvement in whipping up terrorism in Pakistan,” said the military’s media wing, the ISPR, in a statement following a conference of the corps commanders presided over by army chief General Raheel Sharif at the military headquarters in Rawalpindi.
This is the first time in recent years that the corps commanders have publicly alleged India’s hand behind the unrest in the country, although Islamabad has long suspected RAW’s involvement.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif made improving ties with India a priority when he won a 2013 election. However, late last month, PM Nawaz accused India of failing to respond to Pakistan’s desire for good relations.
India was angered earlier in April when a Pakistani court freed on bail Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, accused of plotting a 2008 assault on the city of Mumbai in which 166 people were killed.
The statement followed the arrest of arrested two ‘Muttahida Qaumi Movement workers’ for allegedly inciting violence in the metropolitan city at the behest of RAW. The controversy has led to a verbal duel between MQM chief Altaf Hussain and the security establishment.
Altaf launched scathing criticism against the military establishment in what was seen as frustration on the part of the self-exiled MQM leader over the ongoing targeted operation in Karachi. Subsequently, the army said it would pursue legal action against Altaf for his unsavoury remarks.
Though the MQM chief aplogised for what he called sarcastic remarks, Defence Secretary Lt Gen (retd) Mohammad Alam Khattak told the National Assembly Standing Committee on Defence on Tuesday that legal action would be taken against Altaf irrespective. The committee chairman, Sheikh Rohail Asghar, also supported action against Altaf for his disparaging remarks against the army.
The MQM chief, in his televised speech, had urged the army to stop alleged discrimination against ‘Mohajirs and poor people’ of Karachi – a reference to the surgical operation in the volatile metropolis.
But Tuesday’s corps commanders meeting quashed this impression with the army chief making it clear that the Karachi operation was not against a particular party or group. “The surge against terrorists and criminals is apolitical, across the board and focused to achieve peace in the country,” the ISPR quoted Gen Raheel as saying.
The army chief, while addressing the conference, said, “A terror-free Pakistan is now a national resolve.” Lamenting the deaths of thousands of innocent Pakistanis, including children, at the hands of terrorists, Gen Raheel said, “Law enforcement agencies and our brave armed forces have given a lot of sacrifices in fighting these misguided and hardened criminals to safeguard a peaceful and better future for our next generation.”
All credit to General Raheel sahib, why has Pakistan set silent for 13 years knowing the Indian hand grows ever stronger in destroying Pakistan.
Pakistan needs to make this a major issue and shut down Indian terror apparatus within Pakistan and political affiliations but also in Afghanistan.
This needs to be traject across global media and Pakistani friends need to support us too.
Indian terror is 3 fold;
1. Direct aggression towards Pakistan
2. Projecting India as the victim through false flag ops.
3. Spreading misinformation about Pakistan through her allies on a global scale.
Pakistan must reverse this through:
1. Aggressively shutting down Indian cells but also affiliations in politics, media no matter what the cost. I have said this before Pakistan appeasement of The West creates a slave master mentality amongst PakistanI establishments. Regardless of how hard we try we will be projected as incompetent and the aggressors, “damned if we do and damned if we dont”. Even if that price is total shutdown of mqm. Equally we need to look at how to manage that vaccum to represent the real concerns of Pakistan’s mohajir community. At the same time be aware that like with East Pakistan in 1971 there have been many Indian agents living amongst us infiltrated and assimilated.
It is in Pakistan’s interest to purge our soil of terrorists acting in foreign states interests. Be prepared for the backlash for taking such bold decisions but when the dust settles we will remain strategic and important and request to be dealt with equality and respect to be commanded by a string communications strategy and stern foreign diplomacy.
2. Aggressively counter Indian claims and reach out to friendly nations and speak with them to project the Pakistani evidence countering Indian information.
3. Once Pakistani sovereignty and security is achieved to develop a long term communication and marketing plan to promote Pakistan past and present.
Do not shy away from owning your non Islamic great heritage whether it is:
Bhuddist / Jain or Indus Valley
But equally celebrate your Mughal heritage too.
Dhow the world we are distinctively different from Indian history and culture and all that is similar is based on our historic influence East of the Indus.
Set up a real communications and information team with young educated Pakistanis to discuss.
Make better links with the Pakistani diaspora.
The approach is simple to summarise;
Dismantle Indian terror apparatus in what ever shape and size it comes.
Silence Indian misinformation against us.
Promote Pakistani civilization effectively and part of that strategy needs to be effective steps to building a progressive modern Pakistan.