HVK Archives: Re: Should we help Pakistan swim - or sink?
Re: Should we help Pakistan swim - or sink? - The Times of India
B G Verghese
()
29 September 1996
Title : India's best interests lie in a united and stable
Pakistan
Author : B G Verghese
Publication : The Times of India
Date : September 29, 1996
Recent reports from Pakistan speak of a major economic
crisis caused by food and fiscal deficits as well as
mounting debt and defence burdens. This situation has
been further aggravated by growing political and social
unrest, evidenced by the recent outbreak of violence. It
must be remembered, however, that at one time or another,
most countries face times of trial and tribulation, and
India has not been spared this experience. But to look
on Pakistan's distress, real or exaggerated, as an oppor-
tunity to embarrass, would be shortsighted and counter-
productive.
Pakistan's official diatribes against India and its
bitter and bloody cross-border interventions in Kashmir,
Punjab and further afield have not been acts of endear-
ment. The gamble has failed. And not been without a
wounding price, which has, for some time, worried
thoughtful Pakistanis. Hopefully, India too, having
weathered the worst of the Kashmir storm, has awakened to
its own sorry record of alienating a whole people and is
now genuinely prepared to put things right.
At such a time, where do India's best interests lie? In
vendetta or reconciliation? The government has wisely
determined to ignore rhetorical provocation from Pakis-
tan, act unilaterally to open doors without seeking
reciprocity and engage in the widest possible dialogue
without preconditions. This course must be steadfastly
pursued.
Pakistan has always been chary of promoting trade and
economic cooperation with India due to the misguided fear
that this will weaken its stance on a.resolution of the
'core problem' - Kashmir. But necessity has compelled it
to countenance, even encourage, a substantial volume of
what is euphemistically known as 'informal trade' with
India, by smuggling or through third parties (via Dubai
and Singapore) despite high costs and loss of legitimate
revenue.
Overcoming its reluctance to be seen to be literally
supping with the devil, Pakistan has, in the past,,
imported both sugar and cement. from India. Hard reali-
ties and common sense highlighted the fact that it is far
cheaper and quicker to move grain or cement across the
Punjab border than to import from further afield. More
specially, when shipments through a troubled Karachi port
could entail delayed deliveries.
Today, Pakistan requires over 200,000 tonnes of grain.
With one of the largest grain resources in the world,
India should not hesitate in supplying Pakistan with
wheat. This would not only make sound economic sense,
but politically the rewards of breaking bread together
could be far-reaching.
It is imperative to realise that India's best interests
lie in the unity, stability and prosperity of all of its
neighbours, including Pakistan. Conversely, a debilitat-
ed or uncertain India should be as much a cause for
anxiety in all of South Asia. Further, a failing Pakis-
tan would be a potential threat to India and more likely
to be prone to adventurist policies and drum beating in
order to cohere.
India cannot absorb or destroy Pakistan even if anybody
were foolish enough to cherish the thought. The world
would not allow it and, at any rate, the meal would be
totally indigestible. It can, however, win its friend-
ship and cooperation with goodwill. As both nations
approach the 50th anniversary of their independence they
cannot but count the wasted years. This, is a time for
reconciliation and healing, for a little humility and
more than a dash of statesmanship.
We have no quarrel with the people of Pakistan and any
Indian visitor to Lahore will, more often than not, have
been overwhelmed with the warmth of hospitality and
feeling of nostalgia with which he or she is received.
The converse is equally true. This is the underlying
reality.
Only one caveat: Most Indians would greatly relish seeing
Sachin Tendulkar hit Waqar Yunis for a six! Let us waste
no more time on what is unproductive and unimportant.
Title : Sindh, not India, will pave the way for
Pakistan's disintegration
Author : Uma Bharti
Publication : The Times of India
Date : September 29, 1996
Pakistan reminds me of a story dating back to the Mahab-
harata period. There was a 'demon' called Jarasand, the
father-in-law of Kansa, Lord Krishna's paternal uncle.
Prodded on by Kansa, Jarasand made numerous attacks on
Mathura. He lost every time, only to return after a
short period. Fed up with this, the people of Mathura
appealed to Lord Krishna to intervene. Bowing to their
wishes, Lord Krishna ordered strong man Bhim to cut the
'demon' into two. And that was it. Peace returned to
Mathura.
Though I am against tit for tat - for me Hindus, Muslims
and Christians are all alike - India may ultimately have
to unleash a Bhim on Pakistan for its crimes against us.
I see such a drastic step becoming a real possibility
now, for Pakistan has become a thorn in our side. Who is
in occupation of our territory in Kashmir? Who is fuell-
ing terrorism in the Valley? Who has forced lakhs of
Kashmiris to flee their homes? Who engineered the Bombay
blasts? Who is responsible for communal violence in
different parts of India?
Pakistan.
But I feel sad for Pakistan, for it has become a mere
plaything in the hands of Muslim fundamentalist states.
These countries are using Pakistan against Hindu India.
On the other hand, the Islamic card has come in handy for
Pakistani leaders to hang on to power and check the
disintegration of their nation. But how long can they
keep their country intact by harping on religion? Islam
couldn't help them keep Bangladesh.
That Pakistan will disintegrate one day is a foregone
conclusion. History has its own logic. And Pakistan is
no exception. Certain developments in that country,
including the churnings in Sindh, indicate that Pakistan
is hurtling towards disintegration. Its rulers cannot
reverse this process.
It is not even necessary for India to play a direct role
in Pakistan's disintegration. Sindh will pave the way for
its balkanisation. Remember what the speaker of Pakis-
tan's National Assembly said in an interview with an
Indian English daily some time ago? He said that India
would one day break up into ,small, beautiful' pieces.
His prophecy will soon come true - but sadly the country
in question will be Pakistan, not India.
To begin with, Pakistan will break up into two pieces.
The process will not stop. We may see it break up into
hundreds of pieces in our own lifetime. As I have said
earlier, if Sindh turns out be Pakistan's Bhim, India can
play the role of Lord Krishna. Pakistan will be put out
of its misery. And India will have the benefit of peace.
The BJP's detractors accuse it of unnecessary Pak-bash-
ing. They say that India and Pakistan can usher in an
era of peace by sorting out their problems across the
table. But have our talks over the past 50 years yielded
any results? Not at all. What happened in 1966? Though
Lal Bahadur Shastri returned Pakistan's land under pres-
sure from the then Soviet Union, Islamabad remained
hostile. What happened in 1971? Though Indira returned
90,000 POWs, Islamabad remained hostile. Deve Gowda and
Benazir can sign any number of agreements, but these will
remain only on paper. Psychologically, Pakistani rulers
are not willing to change.
Only Pakistan's balkanisation can usher in peace in the
sub-continent. But this peace will not obviate the need
for huge military expenditure by India. I don't relate
our defence spending to Pakistani threats. Islamabad, I
repeat, is a part of larger designs of Muslim fundamen-
talist states. By wiping out Pakistan from the map, you
will he only solving a very small part of the problem.
Again, I am not for inflicting any kind of suffering on
the Pakistani people. They are, after all, like other
human beings. And, being a sanyasi, I make no distinc-
tion between people. In fact, I sympathise with Benazir
Bhutto. Poor woman. She has been through hell.
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