Pakistani soldiers in a vehicle in Lahore. REUTERS
Pakistan has long been notorious for its deceit, hypocrisy, hatred and for promoting terrorism. The ongoing hostility with India, fuelled by Pakistani terrorist organisations, has led to rampant violence in Jammu and Kashmir, claiming countless innocent lives. India has repeatedly called on Pakistan to dismantle its terror bases and stop exporting terrorism, but Pakistan has consistently denied or ignored the calls.
Pakistan currently faces a situation strikingly similar to the one it has often imposed on India.
what goes around comes around
Following the recent terrorist attack on Bannu cantonment that left eight military personnel dead and many others injured, Pakistan has called on the Afghan interim government to take “immediate, strong and effective action” against the perpetrators. The Deputy Head of Mission of Afghanistan in Islamabad was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to hear Pakistan’s strong stance regarding the deadly attack. Islamabad reiterated its serious concern over the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan that continues to threaten Pakistan’s security.
The attack on Bannu cantonment was carried out by the Afghanistan-based Hafiz Gul Bahadur group. The Pakistani Taliban (TTP) has also carried out a number of attacks inside Pakistan. The attack on Bannu cantonment is a fresh reminder of the serious threat posed by terrorism to regional peace and security, a party official said.
“Pakistan has consistently expressed its concern over the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan that continue to threaten the security of Pakistan. Pakistan has called on the Afghan Interim Government to prevent terrorists from using Afghanistan’s territory and to take effective measures against such forces. However, Kabul has so far denied the concerns, saying there are no terrorists on its territory,” the minister said.
If India sends demarche and documents, won’t Pakistan respond in a similar way?
Just as Pakistan has consistently denied or refuted the allegations and evidence presented by India, Afghanistan has similarly denied Pakistan’s concerns about terrorism on its soil.
Pakistan will not become saints overnight.
Perhaps having suffered heavy military losses, Pakistan is now forced to negotiate with Afghanistan, demanding an immediate halt to these terrorist incidents. However, it is highly unlikely that Pakistan will empathize with India’s situation and change its ways despite facing similar challenges. Instead, it continues to send its hardline terrorists, equipped with sophisticated Chinese-made communication systems and weapons, into the relatively peaceful Jammu region.
India frequently issues demarchs and letters to Pakistan, primarily on terrorism and security issues. Following major attacks in India believed to have been carried out by terrorists linked to Pakistan-based terrorist organisations, India issued demarchs to Pakistan to take action against groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). Similarly, India issued demarchs in protest against ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir.
India has also handed over documents to Pakistan proving terrorist activities, infiltration attempts, and support to terrorist organisations. Notable examples include the 2011 Mumbai attacks after November 26, 2011, when India provided Pakistan with multiple documents detailing LeT involvement, including the role of Pakistani national Ajmal Kasab. After the 2016 Pathankot airbase attack, India shared evidence of JeM involvement, including call records. After the 2019 Pulwama attack, India handed over documents proving the role of JeM and its leader Masood Azhar. Similarly, after the Indian Air Force’s airstrikes on JeM training camps in Balakot, Pakistan in 2019, India issued a statement outlining the reasons for the attack and evidence of terrorist activities at the targeted locations.
These demarches and dossiers are frequently shared with international partners to apply diplomatic pressure on Pakistan to act against terrorist organisations and form part of India’s broader counterterrorism strategy to isolate these groups and their supporters. However, Pakistan has often disputed or rejected the evidence presented in these dossiers.
In this context, Afghanistan may offer lessons for Pakistan to learn.
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