Indo-Pak hysteria

After three days of intense hostilities that claimed over forty lives and left many more injured, a truce e between India and Pakistan took effect at 5 p.m. on May 10. This welcome respite, a result of communication between the two countries with the United States, saw Pakistan propose a cessation of hostilities, a message relayed by the US to India which subsequently agreed to hold its fire. While the cessation of hostilities prevents further escalation, particularly the spectre of nuclear confrontation between two historically and culturally linked nations, it however does little to address the deep-seated animosity that has defined their relationship since Partition. The division of British India along religious lines in 1947 led to one of the worst genocides of the post-World War II era, with Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims butchering one another in an orgy of violence. Since then, India and Pakistan have fought four wars-the 1947-48 conflict, the 1965 war (preceded by the Kutch skirmish), the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, and the 1999 Kargil conflict, where Pakistani soldiers, disguised as irregulars, infiltrated Indian territory in a bid to sever military supply lines. The recent conflagration was ignited when India launched Operation Sindoor, on May 7 in retaliation against Pakistan’s unwillingness to hunt down the terrorists responsible for the cold blooded massacre of 26 tourists at Pahalgam. The terrorist group responsible was identified as The Resistance Front (TRF), a Pakistani-based outfit trained and abetted by Pakistan’s ISI. The latest bout of conflict, primarily characterized by rocket fire and kamikaze drone attacks, saw India launch precision-guided rocket strikes against terrorist camps , aiming to decimate them while avoiding civilian collateral damage. Both nations have fought four major wars – the Indo-Pakistani war of 1947–1948, the Kutch conflict in 1965, the Indo-Pakistani war of 1965, and the 1971 war which saw the liberation of Bangladesh – alongside numerous border skirmishes. A major conflict occurred in 1999 when India had to evict Pakistani army personnel, disguised as irregulars, who had infiltrated and occupied positions within Indian territory during the Kargil conflict. On record, both countries have also signed five cease fires-1948, 1965,1972,1999 and 2003. While the current truce has undoubtedly brought a pause and prevented escalation into bigger conflict and possibly from spreading into a nuclear war, questions linger about the tangible achievements for India beyond the damage to terror camps. It is posited that a more decisive outcome might have involved the destruction of Pakistani airbases, roads, bridges, and power stations. Such a scenario should deter Pakistan from using terrorists as proxies for murder and mayhem inside Indian territory. Also, it is crucial to avoid politicizing this conflict for domestic gains. The personnel defending the nation on the front lines, do so out of love for their country, irrespective of which party is in power. For them, the nation is primary and no consideration to caste, creed, political ideology, or personalities. This very spirit of India, its inherent strength in times of crisis, was symbolized by Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Colonel Sofiya Qureshi – officers from the Hindu and Muslim communities- who conducted press briefings embody the nation’s resilient soul. Trying to extract political mileage will be an insult to the uniformed personnel and the victims. Even the Indian media need to stop waging war and to give peace a chance.