Pakistan's perpetual crisis

Pakistan perhaps is the only State created in recent history, on the basis of a democratic and constitutional struggle waged by its political leadership, led by Jinnah Saheb.
This unique political struggle emanated from East Bengal and was followed by Muslim majority areas of West Punjab, where Allama Iqbal took the lead, inspite of great opposition by a powerful Unionist group, headed by Sir Sikandar Hayat and Sir Khizar Hayat Tiwana.
Pakistan, however, became a victim of the ambitions of its military and civil bureaucracy, trained by the British to rule India as an occupied part of the Raj. We, in India, immediately after independence clipped the wings of the colonial army and civil bureaucracy, which had inherited the mindset of the British Raj.
All State lands doled out by the British to its stooges were confiscated.
India, therefore, was able to evolve for itself a solid political culture, based on parliamentary democracy and hence maintained its territorial integrity, in spite of the different ethnicity's and cultures of its various provinces.
Constitutional civil authority exercises control over all institutions of the state, except an independent judiciary.
We, in India, did not allow people like Shoaib, M. M. Ahmad etc, who were allegedly on the payroll of World Bank/ IMF, to evolve our financial strategy. Our financial wizards concentrated on laying down a strong industrial base, with emphasis on transfer of technology.
It is in the interest of India to maintain peace with Pakistan and concentrate on its impoverished rural populace, which even today is denied basic necessities.
The BJP's "India shining" slogan became a tool for its humiliating defeat. Nobody in India could have imagined victory for Congress even a few years ago, because of Sonia Gandhi's foreign origins.
Although the woman had revoked her Italian citizenship almost 25 years back and did not even have a residential status there, yet this was enough to deny her party power in Delhi. It was only when her children stepped in and the mistakes committed by BJP, that she won the elections.
Credit, however, goes to her, for she chose to step down and take away the fodder for a vicious campaign that her opposition would have launched.
Pakistan's soldiers of fortune, however continue to make gross errors of judgement. Ayub Khan launched "Operation Gibraltar", which led to 1965 war. Yahya refused to accept the popular mandate won by Mujib, and started a military operation, which led to the dismemberment of Pakistan.
India's role was unfortunate, but the blame falls squarely on the shoulders of those who decided to use brute force against their own population.
Operation Kargil was launched to stall the peace initiative by the civilian leadership of both countries.
All these military operations were bound to be a setback, for they were ill planned, ill conceived.
Pakistan's various military alliances were no help to it, for they only serve the interests of Super Powers.
It is time for the people of India and Pakistan to live in peace and harmony as neighbours. We both do not have a choice.
Peace, however, can only be achieved, when the elected civilian governments on both sides endorse it.
The Kashmir problem needs to be resolved in an amicable manner, because the brutalities committed by the Indian army are a blot on India's image as a democratic State.