KARACHI:Pakistan’s peace gesture gift to India in shape of handing over latter’s pilot to New Delhi is likely to help ease tension between the two neighboring counties. From Indian side, some halt is also seen in the tension as Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Friday talked of peace in the region.
When the world is heading towards achieving social, economic and political stability, there is also need that India should also ensure peace gesture like Pakistan.
“Just as Islam literally means peace. Similarly, every religion in the world stands for peace, compassion and brotherhood,” said Swaraj, who attended the inaugural plenary of the two-day OIC meeting in Abu Dhabi, as the guest of honour.
She also said, “I stand here as a representative of a land, that has been for ages a fountain of knowledge, a beacon of peace, a source of faiths and traditions, and home to religions from the world and now, one of the major economies of the world.”
This part of speech of Swaraj at OIC may help to boost peace efforts of Pakistan in the region. But there is need to show something practically.
The world has widely lauded Pakistan for handing over Indian pilot to its authorities in a move that will certainly create soft image of Pakistan in the globe.
Pakistan and India are nuclear power countries; therefore, any untoward war between the two countries would badly affected their people, economies and survival.
Since the partition of British India in 1947, India and Pakistan have been involved in a number of wars and confrontations. The Kashmir issue has been the main cause of all major conflicts between the two countries. The present war-like situation in the country is also result of Kashmir issue that emerged after Pulwama attack in which Indian army men were killed. India, without any evidence, leveled this blame on Pakistan which denied any involvement. However, Pakistan asked India to provide any evidence about its involvement before indulging in blame game.
Pakistan has boosting its economy in the face of several wars and conflicts between the two countries. During the 1960s, Pakistan was seen as a model of economic development around the world, and there was much praise for its rapid progress.
Pakistan is also presently making hectic efforts to boost its economy by developing best bilateral ties with Islamic and other countries. It has always offered India to come on dialogue table to resolve issues that create tension, but India has many times avoided such offers.
Pakistan Army is best among world’s 10 armies and is widely praised across the world for its skills. That is why whole leadership of the country hailed its skills and capabilities amid ongoing tension between Islamabad and New Delhi.
Pakistan’s big opposition party PPP’s Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto said in a statement: “Whole nation stands with our brave soldiers who are ready to respond to any scenario. They risk their lives on a daily basis to keep us all safe. Atrocious that the extremist Hindutva government of the so-called largest democracy in the world would risk provoking war between two nuclear armed states, to feed war hysteria at home and help with Modi’s re-election campaign.”
PPP Co-Chairperson and former President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari said in a statement: “Each and every Pakistani citizen is standing shoulder to shoulder with Pakistani armed forces. If India is thinking of any misadventure then it should also keep in mind that we are a brave and united nation against any aggression. Prime Minister Modi should restrain from disturbing peace of the region.”
As a peace gesture in the region, Pakistan on Friday handed over captured Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot and Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman to Indian authorities at Wahga border on Friday evening. He was captured by Pakistan armed forces by downing Indian fighter aircraft two days back.
Prime Minister Imran Khan had announced on Thursday that Pakistan would release Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot as peace gesture.
“We have captured Indian pilot. We, as a peace gesture, will release him tomorrow,” Imran said while addressing the joint session of the parliament in Islamabad today. Efforts for de-escalation should not be treated as weakness, he had said.
Khan said he is ready to have dialogue with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said, “I tried to speak to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as I want to de-escalate prevailing tension between the two countries.”
“I appeal to India and Narendra Modi not to escalate the situation further. It would not be in favour of either India or Pakistan given the kind of weapons the two countries have,” said Khan.
The US and China has also urged the two South Asian neighbours to ease tention.
The Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan has been in contact with the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, National Security Advisor John Bolton, Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford, and Commander of US Central Command General Joseph Votel regarding India-Pakistan tensions.
“Acting Secretary Shanahan’s focus is on de-escalating tensions and urging both of the nations to avoid further military action,” the Pentagon said in a statement.
Canada also called for de-escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan. “Canada is gravely concerned about rising tensions between India and Pakistan. We urge both sides to exercise maximum restraint and avoid any further military escalation,” Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, said.
The decision to free India pilot will help ease tension between the two neighboring countries.
India asked Pakistan to return the Indian Air Force pilot safely, who was missing in action after Pakistan shot down a MIG 21 jet. The IFA pilot, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, is in Pakistan Army’s custody since Wednesday morning
Two IAF jets were shot down by Pakistan Air Force (PAF) inside the Pakistani airspace on Wednesday.
One of the aircraft fell inside AJ and K while other fell inside IOK. One Indian pilot was arrested by Pakistan troops on ground.
The Foreign Office in a statement said the Pakistan Air Force undertook the strikes across the Line of Control from within Pakistani airspace.