India creating instability through local facilitators, says Ahsan

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal has cautioned that India, after facing defeat in what he termed the “battle for truth,” is now seeking to create internal instability in Pakistan through its local facilitators.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, the minister alleged that the role of “Khawarij elements” in this conspiracy was both “evident and dangerous,” adding that these groups were attempting to exploit religious sentiment to provoke unrest at a time when Pakistan required unity and economic recovery.

He pointed out that while Gaza has witnessed a complete ceasefire and Palestinians are celebrating peace following an agreement signed by Hamas, certain religious factions in Pakistan—dormant for nearly two years—have suddenly become active. By raising emotional slogans and calling for marches toward Islamabad, such elements, he said, appear to be acting with suspicious motives.

“What could be the purpose behind this agitation? Ultimately, whose facilitation is this?” Ahsan Iqbal questioned, hinting at possible external influence behind these movements.

The minister stressed that Pakistan urgently needs peace, political stability, and sustained economic growth, not domestic chaos. “Those who undermine the country’s peace and stability are, in fact, facilitating the agenda of Pakistan’s enemies,” he stated. “Such actors are neither tolerable for any state nor acceptable in the national interest.”

Ahsan Iqbal’s statement has generated considerable discussion within political and policy circles, with observers interpreting it as a cautionary message against forces seeking to destabilize the country at a crucial stage of its economic and political recovery.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025