Perhaps, but for perhaps, but for the certainty of RAW's involvement in fomenting terrorism in Pakistan the army top brass would not have accused India of this in so many words as it did at a Corps Commanders' meeting at the GHQ on Tuesday. Of course, of late the reports about Indian intelligence agency's involvement in fomenting trouble in Pakistan particularly in Balochistan, tribal areas and Karachi, were in circulation. Even the military leadership had hinted at that, albeit obliquely, saying the latest upsurge in acts of terrorism in the mega-city was different from the usual, and Army Chief General Raheel Sharif during a visit to Quetta last month had warned 'foreign governments and intelligence agencies' against their involvement in the lingering insurgency in Balochistan. But it was for the first time that the army high command discussed this grave challenge at its regular forum and the statement issued by the ISPR after the meeting said RAW is involved 'in whipping up terrorism' in Pakistan. That the RAW has been involved in creating unrest in Balochistan was a well-known fact for quite some time. It was brought to the notice of the then Indian Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, as long ago as 2009 at Sharm el-Sheikh by his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani. It is in everybody's knowledge that Dr Singh had promised to look into it, but back home he buckled under his detractors' pressure and taunts and denied making any such commitment. But with Narendra Modi calling the shots to undermine national security of neighbours is something that has acquired the honour of an ideology in order to revive ancient Mahabharata stretching from Socotra archipelago in the west to the Malacca Straits in the east. Presence of foreign intelligence agencies in other countries is a reality of the present-day international order. But how do they operate it remains secret; so is the ISPR statement without the so-called proof of RAW involvement. But if for somebody it is a must he may like to hear Defence Minister Khawaja Asif. According to him, the Baloch militants are using Indian passports.
But that said it needs to be understood that the Corps Commanders' take on the role of RAW in Pakistan was not in the context of the accusations and counter-accusations between a police official and the MQM leadership - even when the contention aroused a lot of public debate. So much so, that the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Defence has decided to take legal action against the MQM chief for his diatribe against the army for which he has apologised. According to an ISPR statement, General Raheel Sharif made absolutely unambiguous that the ongoing upsurge against terrorists in Karachi and elsewhere in the country is "apolitical, across the board and focused to achieve peace in the country. CoAS directed all concerned to intensify intelligence-based operations (IBOs) against criminals, terrorists and their abettors in urban areas," adding the "precision-targeting of terrorists squeezed in isolated pockets in Fata would continue". But that said it would be necessary also to figure out why some people fall prey to their nefarious agendas and opt to act as their tools for subversion against their own motherland. Is it that they feel being treated as unwanted children of the motherland, and seek refuge in the national enemy's camp for as they say an enemy of your enemy is your friend? It is a political truth that inequality breeds insurgency. Unfortunately, in the post-colonial Third World - and Pakistan is part of it - the national political leaderships almost across the board had failed, for whatever reasons or perverted preferences, to provide equal rights and opportunities to their people. If at all, there were inherent distortions between various areas and segments of populations the new leadership miserably failed to rectify them - in fact these distortions were allowed to build up and intensify. No question the insurgency should be put down with iron hand and foreign agents should be crushed. But that task would be only half done; the other part should be to keep the doors of political equality, economic opportunity and access to justice wide open on all segments of society. Water seeps through growing cracks in any structure made of any material.
Last but not least, the growing Indian belligerence clearly seeks to target the 46 billion dollars China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). It was, in fact, PML-N government's job to inform the world community about India's nefarious designs through which it seeks to strangle Pakistan economically. Modi's scheduled China visit had also underscored the need for the government to show no further complacency. Piqued by government's overt reluctance, the army was, therefore, left with no other option but to make a formal announcement about RAW's growing involvement in instigating, fomenting and promoting terrorism across Pakistan.
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