New Delhi: Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan made an all out request for peace and dialogue today. Addressing the people of Pakistan he said, “All wars are miscalculated, and no one knows where they lead to”. The obvious fear of an all out conflict with India has brought the Pakistani leadership to sue for peace.
This is a strategic win for Narendra Modi’s ‘New India’.
While we cheered the military action and the belligerent stand of India, most of us overlooked the strategic win that India won today.
The Indian leadership never spoke the language of peace and reconciliation after the Pulwama attack. It was Pakistani Prime Minister who was ever ready for peace talks after the terror attack. Imran Khan miscalculated India’s resolve and thought that India would come to the negotiating table after the usual condemnation and hard talk.
Narendra Modi, on the other hand, had other plans.
First, India isolated Pakistan on the world stage. Leveraging on India’s already favourable standing among the world community, we were able to garner international support for our right to self defence. The United States specifically told Pakistan to end its support of terrorism. This was followed by other leading powers lending their support to the Indian Government.
Even leading Arab countries, traditionally close to Pakistan, was considerate to the Indian cause.
Secondly, India boldly conducted airstrikes inside the international border of Pakistan striking terror camps of Jaish-e-Mohammad, responsible for the Pulwama attack.
Our retaliation was calculated and ferocious. While the biggest terror camp of JeM was completely vanquished and around 300 terrorists killed, we made sure that not a single civilian casualty occurred.
This was a big tactical win for us, strengthening our right to self defence on the international stage. No country cannot help but support India’s reaction. We made it clear that we were destroying terror camps and have nothing against the people of Pakistan.
This daring attack changed the game for Pakistan forever. Earlier, they used to stall our response by dangling the nuclear card. The fear of any escalation made our erstwhile leadership squirm in fear when our security forces advised retaliation.
Now, Pakistan realises that it cannot hold our country to ransom anymore. Narendra Modi exhibited the courage to call Pakistan’s bluff. He stood his ground under Pakistani Prime Minister’s repeated call for peace.
Pakistan and the rest of the world has woke up to the truth: India will go to any length to safeguard its security.
The Old India with ‘all talk and no action’ has changed into New India with ‘all action and less talk’.
No one knows this better than the Pakistani leadership. That is why Imran Khan was quick to request peace after their misadventure today.
However, the world is waiting for Indian response. And it depends on the bold and decisive decision of one man. Narendra Modi.