Peace Was a Possibility

Imagine a Scenario.

It is after 25th Dec 2015. PM Modi’s visit to Pakistan is over. A strong and allegedly a hawkish Indian leader touched the Pakistani PM’s mother’s feet. The symbolism screams peace.

PM Sharif decides a radical turnaround of decade old policies. Realistically assesses friendship with China. Looks back at history and realizes that long lasting peace can only be possible when negotiated between strong leaders (the old edict of Roman Emperor Hadrian (AD 76–138) "peace through strength or, failing that, peace through threat). Sharif decides to abandon the failed strategic depth policy in Afghanistan and leaves the hapless Afghans to their own devices. He then, safe under the nuclear umbrella, puts J&K on the backburner and negotiates mutually beneficial trade deal with “Baniya (a common Pakistani invective for Hindus) Modi and turn the South Asian Subcontinent around. Modi becomes the new Reagan and Sharif the new Gorbachev.

Imagine that. How many lives would’ve been saved? How much profit would’ve been made? Every economic initiative of Sharif and then Imran Khan would have yielded dividends.

But it did not. Fueled by a false sense of security and superiority, terror attacks continued Modi kept getting pushed into a corner until Pulwana attacks. It then led to Balakot attacks and now Pakistan and their army stands naked in front of the world and worse in front of their own people. The money from Saudi Arabia is now being spent on defending Pakistan and the infrastructure help from China has now become an easy target.

Pakistan has had all kinds of advantages in the past. It is their intense Hindu hatred which has destroyed all those advantages and continues to destroy any and every opportunity they get. Balakot attack has destroyed the myth of Pakistani army as their only functioning organization. Modi gave them the biggest opportunity for peace in their short history. Instead of taking advantage of that, they are standing over the ruins of Balakot and any hope for betterment of their unfortunate country.