'Record 4,052 Ceasefire Violations by Pakistan During January-November 2020, Highest in 17 Years'

A total of 4,052 ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) were reported during January-November 2020, highest in the last 17 years, said a report released by Ministry of External Effairs (MEA). India shares a 3,323 km long border with Pakistan of which 740 km is that of LoC in Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistani foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, in a press conference in Dubai recently, accused India of preparing for another surgical strike on Pakistan. Qureshi was on a visit to the UAE to ask the King to lift the ban on 1.5 million Pakistani workers who were suffering from anxiety after the kingdom refused to renew their work visas.

Pakistan heavily depends upon foreign remittance sent by the Pakistani expatriate labour population. There are around 1.3 million Pakistani workers in the UAE who in 2019 alone have sent home a foreign currency remittance of US $5 billion. Hence, when the UAE declared Pakistani workers persona non grata due to security concerns, Qureshi flew to Dubai to beg for mercy.

During his India bashing press conference, Qureshi pleaded to the world to help Pakistan from an impending imaginary wrathful surgical strike by India. What could be more laughable than Pakistan’s false accusations on India planning terrorist attacks inside Pakistan to destabilise the country?

Why would India need to make an effort to destabilise Pakistan when the Riyasat-e-Madina herself has subjected the state to so many self inflicted wounds?

India would never want a destabilised neighbour. A stable regional economic environment is imperative for economic growth. However, unfortunately the same logic does not apply to Pakistan. Since its inception in 1947, Pakistan has being plying the victim card.

Right from Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s statement regarding being given a moth-eaten Pakistan to today’s claims that India is clandestinely preparing for a surgical strike, Pakistan has presented itself as the underdog.

Similarly, since its creation, Pakistan has struggled with developing a coherent political narrative that would be acceptable to all other nations living under the yoke of brutal exploitation of their natural resources. The dominant role of military in political and economic spheres has also proved natural recipie for disaster.

By promoting itself as a defender of the geographical and cultural boundaries of the country, Pakistan Army has forcefully imposed itself on the whole of the Pakistani society. And in order to maintain its role as the sole protector of the so-called Islamic state, Pakistan Army has itself created an atmosphere of animosity with India.

In 1965, Pakistani Generals launched an attack on India under the code name “Operation Gibraltar” and blamed India for attacking Pakistan. Most recently in 1999, General Pervez Musharaf led the unprovoked attack on Kargil. And today once again, Pakistani military establishment want to attack India in Jammu and Kashmir and instead pretend as if India has attacked Pakistan.

This suits Pakistani military establishment’s internal policy of keeping the population on the edge and in a state of fear and war jingoism. At a time when for the first time in its history the people of Pakistan repeatedly raise slogans against the army, even in the Punjab, Pakistani military establishment is fast loosing the element of fear that the masses were injected with over the past 70 odd years.

Today, the entire population is questioning country’s shambling economy and the legality of enforced disappearances. The citizens are challenging the military establishment’s role in power broking. Hence, Qureshi’s press conference and the hue and cry about an impending Indian surgical strike is no more than another attempt to rally public opinion behind the policemen.

The recent spate of Pakistan Democratic Movement rallies in all major cities which were attended by hundreds of thousands of people and the call for public rallies, starting on December 24 and continuing right into the new year till January 26 next year, has shaken the military establishment right to its foundation.

It is feared that if the Pakistan Democratic Movement manages to maintain its momentum which will then lead to a successful long march and dharna in Islamabad and resignations from the national and provincial assemblies will start to pour in, causing a domino effect, would not only bring down the ‘selected’ government of Imran Khan but many top brass military generals and admirals will also be faced with the prospect of ending up in the gallows.

Qureshi’s press conference was a reflection of the desperation and anxiety that the Pakistani ruling establishment is suffering from. The fact that 2020 has seen the highest-ever ceasefire violations committed by Pakistan in the past 17 years is not dictated by the desire to go to war but by the necessity of demonstrating to the home ground that the threat of an Indian attack is real and their only salvation lies in standing with its armed forces.

It would not be totally surprising if Pakistani military generals, in utter desperation, do blow the bugle of war and drag China into opening a second front in Ladakh. China couldn’t be more excited if Pakistan attacks India, however, what both of these evil regimes do not seem to be taking into account is the fact that today’s India is well prepared and ever so ready to take on any invader from the North.

Dr Amjad Ayub Mirza is an author and human rights activist from Mirpur in PoJK. He currently lives in exile in the UK.

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