Understanding the metaphor called Pakistan. 

Oldest ongoing war on planet is between Pakistan and India, going on since 1947. While I am writing, Govt of India is busy thinking what to do next after the High Commissioner of Pakistan was summoned and served with stern warning without any visible effect on unprovoked firing going on line of control in J&K. In fact High Commissioner smiled coyly at TV camera like a bully student who just got reprimanded from Principal. That covers the attitude.

Terrorism and Pakistan. 

Terrorists get trained in Pakistan, kill people in India, get caught and spill Paki beans but Pakistan denies its involvement. Others ignore it.

People including little children get killed in Pakistan, Mosques attacked, sitting Ministers’ home blasted away, somebody who calls himself Prime Minister of Pakistan makes gestures, cusses terrorists and terrorism but in a few weeks similar shooting or blast happens and same show repeats. Nothing changes?

What is Pakistan?

That is a real question. A territory marked by Boundary but not under unified control is land and not a country much less a nation. To be a nation, there has to be an idea and progress, howsoever little, towards that idea. So what is the idea of Pakistan?

Separated, in 1947, Pakistan literally means ‘Holy Land’. The idea that separation it from India was That it would be a Muslim state which will have nothing to do other religions. Million died in riots which were started to push out non Muslims. Some Pictures are posted here about partition.

In 1947 the Hindu minority in Pakistan were about 15% now it is down to 1%. Temples and shrines given away in 1975 to Muslims. Soon there will be no Minority in Pakistan. This is the opinion of Rewma Abbassi, a Pakistani Journalist. 

The idea of Muslim nation could not hold East and West Pakistan together. East declared independence and is now Bangladesh which acknowledges its multi-racial and multi-religious but one cultural nationality of Bengal.

Pakistan now badly needs a proof that its ‘Muslim brotherhood’ theory is not flawed and the idea of Pakistan still exists. So it turns its attention to another Muslim populated state of J&K. A small part of state is already under its control. Now it wants whole. But there is a problem. J&K is actually Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. And the last part is many times* more than the territory of J&K and is Buddhist. Jammu of course is Hindu Majority.

“Small jugglery with numbers”, Pakistan will say. So what. The metaphor of Pakistan can not go into silly mathematics or practicality. It will have J&K with or without Ladakh. So what we lost Bangladesh. The utopia of Pakistan is a calling great enough to die for and to kill for.

Who is pursuing the metaphor of Pakistan?

That is a really difficult question. Politicians? Not all. Citizens? Not all. Not even most. Army? Perhaps yes. Govt? Some time yes some time not but it barely exist. Democratic Government is like a jewel worn by an Emperor in his crown. Glittering but meaningless. Army is the Emperor or should we say Army Chief is like Caesar who can become Emperor whenever it suits the purpose and every emperor thinks him like Julius Caesar, saving the Rome from fall. But again it does not control everything. Some terrorists? Yes. but not all. Judiciary in Pakistan has gone into hiding against Terrorist. The trials against terrorists do not progress in Pakistan as judges were terrorized and would frequently recuse from trial. Trials would now be conducted in secrecy before Military Courts. Thus judiciary which had been asserting its supremacy in past two decades,* has ceded ground to Army.

Pakistan’s war with India:

Poverty (Jobs) and Corruption may be two biggest problems faced by India. Pakistan with all its nuisance  also figuring somewhere down on the list of problems near about Monsoon. Generally all people will agree about this order in the list of India’s problems. Poverty elevation was an election issue in 1970 so was it an issue in last election under new slogan ‘development for all’.

And that makes it a nation separate from a mere metaphor like Pakistan. The metaphor of Pakistan has its highest priorities outside its own territories namely Kashmir and Afghanistan. This makes Pakistan a group of people who are desperately trying to find a common purpose. They just don’t find a common idea. And the idea they find, is stumbled upon by massive poverty and dependence upon USA and now China with a begging bowl.

The moral of the story is that India must realize that it is not dealing with a nation but conglomerate of different tribes and therefore must deal it as such. One Rogue at a time or more but each in separate compartment. Something tells me that New Delhi has already realized it.

*(Total area of Kashmir Valley is  15,948 sq Km and of Ladakh is 86,904 sq. km.)