India which considers itself to be the largest democracy in the world and claims rather proudly to be the “champion” of democracy, should henceforth call herself one of the largest propagandist states and the greatest “propoganda champion” in the world. India is undoubtedly par excellent in making baseless propaganda against its immediate neighbors. This sort of Indian proclivity towards sowing seeds of animosity rather than to promote good neighborly relations in order to defuse existing tension in the region, certainly betrays insincerity and suspicion on the part of mini super power. It also makes clear that the Indian leadership is disinterested in promoting regional cooperation. As a result of recent Indian vilification campaign the following allegations are reported to have been leveled against Pakistan (The Nation 2071987). a. Pakistan stole nuclear energy. b. Pakistan’s response to the nonaggression treaty was negative and c. Pakistan was interfering in the Indian Punjab.
A detailed analysis of these allegations would reveal how far is India’s outcry justified.
A.Since the last many years Pakistan is trying hard to cope with the energy problem. Pakistan’s nuclear programme is entirely for peaceful purposes. Pakistan is confronted with a serious energy crisis and it would prefer to produce energy for its industry and agricultural needs rather than to produce an atom bomb. India, herself exploded a nuclear device in 1974, and had refused to sign the non-Proliferation Treaty which it said as discriminatory. On the one hand, the Indian leadership is mounting heavy uproar against Pakistan’s nuclear programme and “on the other hand she is herself producing atom bombs apart from stockpiling of ultra-sophisticated weapons from Russia, France and other countries. In 1974, the year India exploded an atom bomb, Pakistan had proposed at the United Nations the establishment of nuclear weapon free zone in South Asia. This resolution has been repeatedly adopted by the General Assembly with overwhelming majority. But there has been no response from Indian side till to date.
Earlier in 1978, the President of Pakistan had proposed to the Prime Minister of India that both Pakistan and India accepted international inspection of all their facilities or agree to reciprocal inspection, besides renouncing manufacture or acquisition of nuclear weapons. Pakistan had also proposed bilateral talks for determining a mutually acceptable ratio of forces and armament but India did not respond to it positively. Had we stolen nuclear energy, We would never have offered such options to India. It goes without saying that “India’s Bhabha Nuclear Plant” is capable of producing atom bombs and India is now in a position to export nuclear power reactors to other countries. Who have stolen nuclear energy? Is it Pakistan or India? But despite Pakistan’s determined efforts to ingratiate itself with India, Mr. Rajiv Gandhi appears to be irreconcilable.
B.In 1981, India was invited to sign a “No War Pact” to which India made a counterproposal for a “Friendship Treaty”. This, Indian Chicanery is not understood. Is it negative response from Pakistan or India? By refusing to sign the No War Pact, India has confirmed its own negative approach towards the normalization process which is a prerequisite for peaceful atmosphere in the region. No doubt, it is India’s vacillating attitude that is standing in the way of good neighborliness between the two countries.
C.Whenever troubles brewed inside India, these have been attributed to foreign complicity and Pakistan’s hand behind the internal cataclysms of India. Why Pakistan should train and aid the Sikh freedom fighters, when its own requirements are being insufficiently fulfilled. Millions of Afghan refugees have taken shelter in our country and the government of Pakistan is spending billions of rupees on their welfare. Pakistan is a poor country and cannot afford such unnecessary expenditures like training and aiding the Sikh freedom fighters. This allegation reminds me of an outrageous statement of the Indian Prime Minister which he had made in 1985, while touring Washington to ignite the Sikh freedom fighters, “Maharaja Ranjit Singh ruled over the Punjab (at Lahore) for 30 years; hence Khalistan may be established in Pakistan and not in India”. Such flagrant remarks are tantamount to direct interference in his internal affairs of other countries. More over late Mrs. Gandhi had been espousing the cause of “Hindu Desh” India has always interfered in our internal affairs.
The whole edifice of mutual understanding between two sides is crumbling into pieces and the devouring conflagration of lateral and malice is being spread by India in the region, Pakistan still wants good neighborly relations with India provided she responds to it.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 9, 1987
