Thank you ever so much for reaching out

Thank you ever so much for reaching out. Pakistan and India are at it again: locked in a 75 year conflict over Kashmir, over communal identity and, to project the nation state that was carved out by the British. Folks refuse to see this conflict in a larger context, we have literally been at war since the British partitioned India. 

Ordinary people who are not swayed by ideology and the atrocious state, corporate and social media do not want war. However, a large chunk of the population in India seems to be heavily swayed by the war mongering that India under Modi is pushing. Liberal democracies seem to have a bigger hunger for war as we have seen the Americans thirsty for blood after 9-11 and, what Israel is doing now.  Modi’s India is punishing its Muslim population and, the attack in Pahalgham gave them a good excuse to dial up the anti Muslim frenzy. 

Pakistani state has been fully captured by the military so it doesn’t need to push any agenda more strongly than before. Analysts are saying that it is unlikely Pakistan is involved in Pahalgham because it has been working to take itself off the Terror Financing List , is hardening border with Afghanistan and is not involved in proxy wars. 

Without proving that Pakistan was involved in Pahalgham, India struck missiles into Pakistan which has really escalated the situation. The Indian military statement is that they struck terrorist training camps (which Pakistan absolutely hosted for use in proxy wars before) killed civilians but independent analysis is that these camps are not longer operational. 

There’s a lot of unverified information going around. Citizens on both sides of the border need to make their states accountable. 

The people are suffering the most are ironically Kashmiris as there’s heavy shelling going on the border that divides Kashmir. 

Apparently, today Indians sent 12 Israeli drones across to Pakistani cities. That the Indians are so close to Israel (once so close to the Palestinian cause) and buying their military technology to terrorise our civilians is a tragedy. 

Pakistanis are saying that most of us are not calling for war but most Indians are. If true, that’s  disturbing and worse than the military conflict. 

How do you roll back this hostility and measures that Indians are taking? Banning of independent Pakistani media, kicking out Pakistani nationals married to Indians, Pakistanis with medical visas, suspending trade etc? 

When Mumbai was attacked in 2008, I noticed that Indian liberals started flipping and becoming anti Pakistan. This is way before Modi came to power. 

We are waiting to see if anything more will happen. Flights are suspended and schools are closed.