Exercise restraint

Amid a barrage of claims, counter-claims and pseudo-claims, Pakistan seems bent on pushing India towards the point of no return. As the world watches with bated breath, both countries have been asserting that they do not want matters to escalate. However, Pakistan’s provocative actions are laying bare its doublespeak. India had made a power-packed statement on Tuesday by dismantling the Jaish-e-Mohammed terror training camp at Balakot on Pakistani soil. The airstrikes not only demonstrated what India’s defence forces are capable of when pushed to the brink, but also underlined the retaliatory prowess of a nation that was jolted by the Pulwama attack a fortnight ago. The stealth bombing by the air force was also in line with India’s zero-tolerance approach to terrorism.

On Wednesday, a desperate Pakistan claimed that it had shot down two Indian military aircraft over its airspace and captured a pilot. Adopting a holier-than-thou attitude, their military spokesperson, Major Gen Asif Ghafoor, stated that ‘it was not retaliation in the true sense but an action to show that we can retaliate’. He went on to plead that his country wanted peace and was not keen on pitchforking the region into war, conveniently skipping any mention of the intrusions by Pakistani fighter jets into Jammu and Kashmir the same day.

The irony of Ghafoor’s statement is not lost on anyone. Over the past three decades or so, Pakistan has been repeatedly accused of aiding and abetting terrorism. Despite intermittent international pressure, little has changed on the ground. But that should not discourage India from upping the diplomatic ante. The country, which has for long been a victim of cross-border terrorism, needs to exercise restraint and shun bravado now more than ever before. Morally on a firm footing, India should be prepared militarily for any eventuality, but a knee-jerk reaction prompted by 

Pakistan’s misadventures could prove costly. The onus is on the political leadership to resist the temptation of bagging brownie points in the election year. Efforts should be made to bring back IAF pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman safely. A multi-pronged strategy will go a long way in wearing out the hostile neighbour with self-destructive tendencies.