War not the solution for India and Pakistan

Now that Pakistan as a goodwill gesture has released the captured Indian pilot of the Mig 21 downed in a dogfight on its territory and segments of the political parties and media in India have welcomed the move, it is time to stop provocative and warmongering statements in order to give peace a chance for the good of both the countries.

The following is a Viewpoint Column in this regard that appeared in Iran’s English language daily ‘Kayhan International’, titled: “War Not the Solution for India and Pakistan”.

Kayhan International wrote: “Peace requires a great deal of courage, while war is the devil’s instrument for wreaking death and destruction upon the children of Adam and their achievements.

“The current conflagration in the Subcontinent between the two nuclear-armed rivals, following surgical air strikes on supposed terrorist camps in Pakistan-held Kashmir by New Delhi, which lost two aircraft and shot down one from Islamabad, in addition to the helicopter crash in Indian-held Kashmir that killed the Minister of Tourism of Nepal, has sent alarm bells ringing throughout the region.

“The need of the hour is patience and prudence to properly probe the recent terrorist blast at Pulwama that killed 42 Indian soldiers, in order to eradicate the roots of terrorism, instead of fanning the flames of war and hatred.

“Terrorism, of course, is the brainchild of Satan, and the terrorists, though they resemble mankind in appearance, are Lucifer’s children begotten through erring human beings, and should therefore be weeded out without any clemency.

“This weeding out of the terrorists, however, requires forceful diplomacy combined with coordinated military action, rather than any headlong rush into what might spiral out of control into an unwanted war, with all its undesirable consequences for the two sides and unnecessary loss of life for both soldiers and civilians.”

Kayhan International said: “True, the Pakistan-based terrorist outfits which on February 13 and 14 used similar dastardly tactics on either side of the borders of Pakistan – in Iran and in India – to kill and injure scores of security personal of the two countries, deserve to be decimated, but this requires cooperation with the authorities in Islamabad for a proper probe, instead of any blatant military action against the sovereignty and integrity of that country, whose government might not be a party to such acts of terrorism.

“The doors of diplomacy should never be closed nor should the overtures for peaceful solution rejected.

“Both India and Pakistan, who over the past seventy years have fought four wars, need to control their emotions, since one wrong move may turn out to be suicidal for the two sides.

“War will neither resolve the crux of the problem between the two countries, that is, the disputed land of Kashmir, nor will it strengthen the position of the ruling parties in New Delhi and Islamabad.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran, as the prime victim of terrorism, and the target of frequent murderous acts by terrorists operating from Pakistan, is well aware of the external factors that are plotting to engulf the South Asian region in a war in pursuit of their own ulterior motives; hence it calls for restraint by the two sides. It is ready to play the role of mediator between the two countries.”

According to Kayhan International: “It is easier to start a fight, on the assumption of revenge or to show that the government is not weak, by yielding to the war-mongering cries of irresponsible elements who never expect to fight or be hurt themselves – as the soldiers do, or as the civilians living in the war zones suffer.

“So what is required is courage, in its real sense, to preserve the dignity of the country, safeguard its interests, and work towards diffusion of the crisis, so that concrete steps are taken to root out terrorism and the causes on which terrorists thrive.

“And this warrants the Pakistani government to have control over insubordinate elements, whether in the civilian administration or the military, which are believed to have ties with the terrorist outfits, operating against both Iran and India from its soil.

“Serious measures are expected to end this evil, which is being planned by outside forces, such as the Americans, the Zionists, and the Saudi seditionists, and not verbal assurances without practical action against terrorists by Islamabad.

AS/MG