U.K. Dar
With Indian Prime Minister Mr Modi’s recent visit to USA and Israel, the proverbial cat is out of the bag. The unholy alliance that was in the making for many decades is now out in the open.
The two interesting things that have brought the three strange bedfellows together are that each of them claims to be a democracy and to be the major victim of “radical Islamic terrorismâ€.India claims to be “largest democracy” while the USA is the “strongest” democracy and Israel the “only democracy in the Middle East”. They also claim that they are the target of the radical Islam and that “they†hate their freedom and are against their way of life and wants to drag their societies many thousands year back.The similarities, however, do not end here.The three countries are indulged in committing atrocities against the Muslim world on an unprecedented scale.
India is slaughtering not only its Muslim population living in the mainland in the name of “cow vigilantes†but also massacring Kashmiri Muslims living in Indian-held Kashmir.The USA has waged war against many Muslim countries in the last decade or so. Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, to name a few Muslim countries, have faced the direct brunt. Besides these open wars, countless covert operations in many other Muslim countries are underway as we are reading this article.
Israel too has an unparalleled record of human rights abuses against Muslims in Palestine and other Muslim neighbors like Lebanon, Jordon, Egypt etc. The emergence of USA-India-Israel Nexus was, therefore, a self-fulfilling prophecy. The World is witnessing the biggest realignment of the world order since after the Second World War. USA-Europe relations are also getting strained and will continue to do so in the future. This shifting of alliances will have far-reaching consequences for the world. However, my focus will remain on its effect on Asia and Pakistan.
There is little doubt that the unholy trinity feels most threatened from Pakistan, being the only Muslim country with atomic weapons. They feel that it is only Pakistan, with the help of China, which can stop their hegemonious design of dominating the world stage under the new world order. That’s why Pakistan has been their target for many years now.
India and Pakistan have always been dagger drawn on the core issue of Kashmir that is kept unresolved intentionally to keep this area unstable. Three wars have been fought by the two neighbors on this issue and border skirmishes are undergoing right now paving the way for fourth war. Israel though has not been in a direct conflict with Pakistan but has tried to destroy Pakistan’s nuclear sites with the help of India in the 1980s. However, the clear threat from Pakistan that it will retaliate with full force that the infamous plan of raiding Pakistan’s Kahuta Research Laboratory was averted/aborted.
The USA-Pakistan relations have always been of love-hate with the USA ditching Pakistan at the important junctures. In 1965, during Indo-Pakistan war, USA stabbed Pakistan by putting an arms embargo on her, despite Pakistan being a member of SEATO. This embargo threatened Pakistan existence, as the equipment used by Pakistan Military was predominantly American. The same thing happened in 1971 where the USA’s seventh fleet never came for rescue despite several requests. In 1974, Indian conducted the underground nuclear test, and when Pakistan sought its own nuclear weapons capability – USA imposed sanctions. Similarly, after the withdrawal of the Soviet forces from Afghanistan; USA once again imposed new sanctions on Pakistan. Then the USA signed a civilian nuclear agreement with India ignoring Pakistan. USA drone strikes on Pakistan killing many innocent Pakistanis are known to everyone.
During the recent visit by Indian Prime Minister Modi, USA President Donald Trump described India as a “true friend†and declared Kashmiri freedom fighter Syed Salah-ud-Din as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist despite Pakistan being a major non-NATO ally and frontline state fighting against terrorism. The USA also sold 22 unmanned Guardian drones to India shifting the balance of power in favor of India. Another deal of supplying $40 billion worth of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to India is also in the pipeline.
Importing LNG from the USA will reduce India reliance on exporting its energy from the Gulf states and hence India can redefine its policy towards Gulf states and Israel. The other hitch in India-Israel relationship was the fear of creating discomfort among its 180 million Muslims who fervently opposes ties with Israel. But who cares for them, especially after the political and social changes inside India that have seen the rise of Hindutva under Mr Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. Puppy coming under the car’s wheel is how the life of Muslims is valued in India.
Therefore, Mr Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Israel.This visit will also antagonize Kashmiri Muslims. Many experts believe that India’s occupation of Kashmir has been guided and supported by Israel both financially and with men and material. Israel has helped India in erecting a barrier fence with thermal imaging devices on the Line of Control (LOC) in Indian occupied Kashmir. Israel has also provided India occupying forces with surface-to-air missiles, robot drones and unmanned aerial vehicles for use along the LOC in Kashmir.
These are all daunting developments but there is a bright side to it as well. India’s boarding of USA-Israel ship means Russia and Iran would be alarmed and forced to realign their policy thus isolating India in the region. Iran’s recent comments on Kashmir are very rare and never random. Similarly, Russia’s joint military exercises with Pakistan and its willingness to join CPEC are also positive shifts.
The question is: Will these titanic shifts make Pakistani political leadership rise up to the occasion?
The Pakistani politicians and media are going crazy about the investigation on Panama Leaks and its possible outcomes and new geopolitics realities are left unnoticed by all. Not only the ruling party but the entire political leadership seems to be ignorant of the happenings around them. Listen to their fiery speeches which are limited to discrediting each other and you won’t find a word about things that really matter. So are they just clueless or are they knowingly and willingly ignoring the emerging threats and opportunities?
The Pakistan Army is the only institution that seems to be aware of the situation. It is spearheading the policy of moving away from the stranglehold of the USA to the friendly embrace of China and Russia; which is the step in the right direction. These regional powers can also help in getting the Kashmir dispute resolved which was never the priority of Western powers. I would urge the political leadership to abstain from their petty political issues and face the great game (US-India-Israel unholy nexus) that has reached our doorstep? Will they feel the heat through their thick skin? If not now then when. Please remember that time and tide waits for none.
