Attempts at isolation

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Less credit to India, more to us

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to take recourse to non-military measures against Pakistan to achieve his aims. The refusal to attend the SAARC summit along with Afghanistan and Bangladesh is a move towards isolating Pakistan. That Nepal, Sri Lanka and Maldives declined to join hands indicates that not all SAARC members are on the same page with India. The ongoing Pakistan-Russia military exercises further indicate the difficulties India is likely to face in isolating Pakistan. An Iranian naval fleet has already docked at Karachi port to participate in joint drills for three days. Russian, Chinese, Turkish, Iranian and Pakistani naval forces are expected to participate in the annual international naval exercise ‘Aman-17’ next year. Instead of taking sides, the US meanwhile is asking both the countries to resolve issues through talks. In the case of Afghanistan and Bangladesh Islamabad has to blame its own faulty diplomacy than credit India with causing antagonism towards Pakistan. Moral: Pakistan is more likely to be isolated through its own goal than by Indian efforts.

 

Withdrawing Pakistan’s MFN status will be bad because it would imply a further distancing between the two countries. It will however by no means bleed Pakistan’s economy as the country’s exports to India are a paltry $300-400 million. The trade balance in fact favours India as formal Indian exports to Pakistan amount to $2.4 billion.

 

The third measure India is meditating is a reappraisal of the Indus Water Treaty which amounts to using water as a weapon. While the measure might reassure Modi supporters in India, it displays shortsightedness on his part. In Pakistan the move will generate ill will against India which otherwise does not exist. It would strengthen the terrorists’ narrative that India is trying to turn Pakistan into a desert. At a time when climate change is multiplying the ill-effects of water shortage in South Asia, there is a need on the part of the two countries to devise ways for better water management than prepare to fight water wars.

 

10 COMMENTS

  1. Not even in single editorial from Pakistan, I have read any suggestion to Pakistan to stop supporting Terrorists. This editorial is talking as if there absolute no ill will in Pakistan toward India…you live in your own world.

    • Indian forces has killed over 100 thousand civilians in IOK, and is still continuing. But you fail to see it as an act of terror.
      The reality is that India is the real terror state, headed by a killer of thousands Muslims in Indian Gujarat, the bloody Nerendra Modi.
      Open your eyes and grow up now Mr. !

  2. India is a real terrorist state, and so is their bloody media. There is no voice for hundreds of innocent killings of men, women, and children by bloody Indian forces, and for those blinded by pellet guns. They only mourn over killing of their 17 coward soldiers.
    Shame on India !!!

  3. Indian former Premier had himself acknowledged efforts made by General Musharraf's Govt. in establishing peaceful relations with India. During this era, instead of taking advantage of Pakistan's leniency, India established its deep terrorist roots in Balochistan and KP Northern Province through influx of money and weapons. World acknowledges India's role in destabilizing Pakistan. But never ever did Pakistan accuse India of orchestrating attacks on its defense installations (naval base, GHQ etc.), the way India has within an hour of occurrence of event accused Pakistan of carrying out attack, albeit any investigation or proof. Act like a grown up nation.

  4. India attacks and kills Kashmiris and no one says anything. Over 100 people dead, but where is international community for Human Rights? Is India really an angel? Think about it. Pakistan has been living with this hostile neighbor for years, they block our water, they fire mortars and use weapons at our villages, they kill Kashmiri people who side with Pakistan, they post false and misleading claims and reports. Why is it that such a country can do such atrocities and no one dares question Indian hypocrisy? They were the first country in South Asia that took initiative to use nuclear weapons, they introduced devastating weapons that can only be used for killing, instead of civilian nuclear research they used it for military purposes. Pakistan had no choice, since India is the main root of all evil.

  5. Useless hypocritical country. Over obsessed with India's Kashmir than provide for their own people esp ppl in Balochistan. They probably will end up one of the least developed nations in Asia if they continue this path…. They would do wise to improve their internal affairs and state of economy . The news publications seem fabricated by the govt to gain vote bank..

  6. Completely agree with Modis comments. We gained independance the same time. But India is known for its software exports, Pak is known for its terrorist exports.

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