BJP’s dangerous pursuit of electoral success
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi announced in a press conference on Sunday morning that India plans an attack on Pakistan between April 16 and 20, and might stage a Pulwama-type incident to justify its action. Mr Qureshi was right when he said that war clouds had not dissipated after India had reacted with aggression to the February 14 killing of 40 Central Reserve Police Force personnel. It is worth noting that Mr Qureshi’s announcement comes on the heels of the US conclusion that India had not shot down any PAF F16s when it had clashed with it. The PAF had claimed to have downed two IAF fighters, one an Su30, the other a MiG19, and had indeed returned the MiG19 pilot to India. With India also scheduled to go to a seven-phase general election on April 11 to May 19, the use of the Pulwama incident and the follow-up has seen the BJP lay claim to an ability to defend India, and any attack after April 20 would leave voting to take place in 355 constituencies. An attack before April 18 would take in another 97 constituencies.
Mr Qureshi said that international powers, the P-5, had been informed, and Pakistan had asked them to restrain India. This shows how ridiculous the BJP’s attempt to milk war neurosis has gone. There are two possible motives for conflict: Kashmir, and the Indian elections. Far from attempting to solve the Kashmir issue, the BJP is trying to exploit war hysteria for electoral purposes, and trying to give itself a boost, not realising that any conflict can be started, but can easily spin out of control. There is also the danger of the price of keeping the peace going out of Pakistan’s ability. The international community must also consider its self-interest, and its own inability to withstand the results of a nuclear conflict.
Any party trying to provoke a conflict between two nuclear neighbours cannot be described as rational. However, if the BJP insists on a conflict, and succeeds in defying the international community, it will find that Pakistan will prove a tough nut to crack, and probably too hot for it to handle. It is also incumbent on the world powers to step in and keep the peace.
