An Islamabad-based think tank has recommended to the government to observe 'strategic patience' towards India and avoid being drawn into escalation gambit and instead intensify diplomatic offensive to sensitise international community on the Indian security forces atrocities in the occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
The recommendations are the outcome of a series of roundtables on "Indian Strategic Culture and Force Posture Development in the Light of the Current Tensions," held at Strategic Vision Institute (SVI), an Islamabad-based think tank, These recommendations were released to the media on Monday. The participants of the SVI discussion included the representatives of the local think tanks, scholars, academics and retired military officials. They pointed out that uprising in Kashmir, which has attracted world attention was the reason behind India's escalatory posture. Therefore, the think tank suggested that Pakistan should continue its diplomatic and political support for the freedom movement and expose Indian excesses in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, which have resulted in deaths of about 110 innocent people and injuries to some 15,000 others, 160 of whom have been permanently blinded because of indiscriminate use of pellet guns by Indian security forces.
The think tank observed that India has been avoiding global censure of its brutalities in occupied Kashmir because of its economic strength. Therefore, the government was advised to bring singular focus to developing world's positive stakes in Pakistan by improving economy, security and governance. Former Defence Secretary Lieutenant General Naeem Khalid Lodhi (rtd.) said surgical strikes, if ever India carries out, would be taken as an act of war and would be accordingly reciprocated.
He believed that Pakistan's 'Full Spectrum Deterrence' capability deters India from undertaking any military misadventure against Pakistan. "Pakistan has over the past five to six years developed a response to Indian cold start doctrine, whose efficacy is proven," the former defence secretary said while referring to tactical nuclear weapons.
General Lodhi said that public pressure, big army/big country syndrome and Modi's extremist mindset were some of the reasons behind Delhi's heightened belligerence. Nuclear expert Dr Adil Sultan contended that the deterrence capability has worked otherwise India would have gone for military option against Pakistan.
Dr Hussain Suhrawardi, a professor at University of Peshawar, blamed Pakistan's poor foreign policy for the problems faced by the country in the region and beyond. He said that the government needs to intensify its diplomatic efforts by effectively raising the atrocities committed by Indian forces with international community. Ambassador Fauzia Nasreen (rtd.) said Indian actions were far from that of a responsible state and no civilised society can tolerate the blatant human rights violations committed by the Indian security forces in the held valley.