EDITORIAL: As part of Pakistan’s diplomatic outreach to the international community in the aftermath of last month’s four-day military standoff with India, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari visiting London at the head of a delegation gave a briefing to a meeting of cross-party British parliamentarians.
There he highlighted India’s attack on civilian population, violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and holding in abeyance of the Indus Water Treaty in contravention of international law and modern rules-based system.
Bilawal also explained that “India had levelled serious accusations [of backing the Pahalgam terrorist attack] without any credible investigation or verifiable evidence,” and that these actions are not just irresponsible, but pose serious risks to peace and stability in South Asia and beyond. Pakistan has rightly been arguing that if India has evidence of its involvement in the Pahalgam atrocity, it should allow an independent investigation so as to establish the truth.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a habit of using accusation of cross-border terrorism as a political tool during times of internal pressure or upcoming elections — in Behar come October. Assaults on Pakistan, rhetorical or real, are projected by him as demonstrations of strength for rallying his Hindutva support base.
Extremely troubling, however, is what followed last month’s incident: missile and drone attacks on alleged ‘terrorist sanctuaries’ inside Pakistan in blatant violation of this country’s sovereignty and international law. With hubris getting the better of them, PM Modi declared the strikes as the “New Normal”, i.e., a right to fire missiles into Pakistan in the event of any act of terrorism; meanwhile, his External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated that Pakistan was informed about the strikes before the start of ‘Operation Sindoor’, arrogantly assuming there would be no reaction. Pakistan’s quick retaliatory response delivered extensive military losses, acknowledged by many independent defence analysts. The two nuclear-armed neighbours were on the brink of a full-fledged war when US President Donald Trump helped mediate a ceasefire. According to Modi, though, it is only a ‘pause’. Escalatory rhetoric and actions benefit no one. Consequences of any miscalculation between the two nuclear states are unthinkable.
India’s attempts to unilaterally alter regional dynamics through unsubstantiated accusations and aggressive military posturing should be a matter of concern to the international community. What is needed is normalisation of dialogue rather than normalisation of aggression, and a commitment to peaceful coexistence. Pakistan, for its part, has consistently expressed willingness to engage in dialogue and address all outstanding issues of dispute, including terrorism, water, and of course Kashmir — the root cause of three of the four wars between them. The cycle of provocation and retaliation must give way to dialogue and conflict resolution in the greater interest of peace and stability in South Asia.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025