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| 07/01/2002 |
| THE TILT THAT FAILED |
ON INDO-PAK CONFRONTATION, 2002
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Thirty years ago, the two wings of Pakistan compressed the sides of India’s head, like a pair of pinching earmuffs that cause a headache. Throughout 1971, systematically and with efficient callousness, the Indian Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi executed a policy aimed at easing the pressure once and for all by dismembering Pakistan. A plane - the Ganga - was hijacked on 30 January 1971 to Lahore and used by India to ban overflights across its territory. Millions of refugees who fled from persecution following an army crackdown in East Pakistan became an instrument with which to castigate Pakistan. And finally, when after innumerable provocative incursions by Indian forces across the international boundary, Pakistan was imprudent enough on 3 December to attack eight Indian airfields including Amritsar and Agra, India found the excuse it needed, it had wanted and had incubated to commence full-scale hostilities. Thirteen days later, one wing of the Pakistan army laid down its arms in the Ramna racecourse at Dacca. The other wing of the Pakistan army lay down its arms in the GHQ in Rawalpindi when General Yahya Khan as President and also Defense Minister surrendered authority to a civilian government headed by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Thirty years later, the Pakistan army is again in control of the country, and India is again searching for another plausible casus belli.[EXTRACT]
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Published in DAWN 7 Jan 2002, and reprinted in WHEN BUSH COMES TO SHOVE & OTHER WRITINGS (2006) |
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| 07 January 2002 |
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