Afghanistan and India are two neighbouring countries which have been continuously blaming Pakistan of allowing it’s soil to be used by the terrorists to create unrest and disturbance in their countries
by N.S.Venkataraman
( November 23, 2018, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) While so many acts of terrorism have taken place on Pakistan soil in the last few years killing many people including more than 60 innocent school children, the present terrorist attack on Chinese Consulate is wake up call, that indicate that Pakistan government can not any more fail to tackle this grave menace,which is virtually threatening the stability of the country and creating deep frustration amongst the countrymen. Rightly or wrongly, due to repeated acts of terrorism on Pakistan soil, the world now views Pakistan as a country where the terrorists have a free run and government unable to wipe them out.
Nothing can be more humiliating for any country , than a situation when most countries in the world refuse to send their sportsmen to play in Pakistan, fearing terrorist attack. Pakistan is now facing an unenviable situation that Pakistan cricketers have to go to a third country like Dubai to play their matches against overseas team. Certainly, Pakistanis living in Pakistan and outside Pakistan in different countries should be feeling extremely sad and depressed about such state of affairs.
Whether Pakistan government would admit or not, the fact is that Islamic religious groups with extreme ideas are using Pakistan as a spring board to enforce their ideas, adopting violence as a way of life. Obviously, such extremist groups are not numerically large compared to overall population of Pakistan and large section of citizens of Pakistan do not approve them.
While Pakistan government has been repeatedly asserting that it is fighting terrorism on it’s soil and chief of army staff in Pakistan earlier promised that terrorists would be wiped out , many wonder as to why extremists indulging in acts of terrorism in Pakistan remain unchallenged to such an extent. U S President Trump has now openly said that the government of Pakistan is not doing enough to put down the terrorists.
Afghanistan and India are two neighbouring countries which have been continuously blaming Pakistan of allowing it’s soil to be used by the terrorists to create unrest and disturbance in their countries.
In the case of Kashmir in India, Pakistan has not concealed it’s readiness to encourage and support those who are termed by Pakistan government as liberators of Kashmir and Indian government as terrorists, to operate from it’s soil to create unrest in Kashmir.
Pakistan is certainly now at crossroads, as it is facing extremely difficult economic conditions on the one hand and facing terrorism on it’s soil ,while Pakistan government is being accused of encouraging terrorism in neighbouring countries. It is necessary for Pakistan government realize that this sort of scenario cannot continue anymore, as it is causing serious harm to the future interest of Pakistan itself.
The recent accord between India and Pakistan to build the required infrastructure for visa free direct travel by Sikh pilgrims in India to Pakistan’s Kartarpur Saheb Gurudwara to mark the 550 birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Day in November 2019 ,gives a glimpse of hope. It is good to hear a Pakistani minister hailing this accord as “victory of peace lobbies” in both India and Pakistan.
Pakistan has now a new Prime Minister, who is struggling hard to face the impending economic crisis in Pakistan by seeking loan from Saudi Arabia , China, Malaysia and International Monetary Fund. During the visit to these countries, Pakistan Prime Minister has been urging the investors to invest in Pakistan and also claiming that Pakistan is a place of high tourist attraction in view of it’s several natural and historical endowments.
The pre condition for Pakistan Prime Minister to drive Pakistan in the path of prosperity and progress is to ensure that Pakistan would not only fight and destroy the terrorists but also appear to do so in the eyes of the world. It cannot do this by fighting terrorism on it’s soil and directly or indirectly encouraging terrorists in neighbouring countries
Pakistan Prime Minister should clearly realize that Pakistan is in crossroads and it is upto him to take Pakistan in the right path, which is possible only if Pakistan’s commitment to wipe out terrorism in letter and spirit in Pakistan and elsewhere is total and complete.
Pakistanis deserve better and Pakistan Prime Minister can meet their well justified expectation by ensuring conditions of all round peace.
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