Indians have been spoon-fed for decades that stable Pakistan alone is necessary for India’s growth. Or that united Pakistan poses less threat than fragmented Pakistan. The myth propagated is that in case Pakistan breaks, the population of Pakistan will migrate to India and become a burden. Another laughable myth is that the armies that came in from Central Asia over the centuries, merely came to settle but it was the British from the sea who alone invaded India!
First, this is falsehood. Second, these statements are churned out in electronic and print media as if Indians control the destiny of Pakistan. The unity or break-up of Pakistan is entirely dependent on the government and the Army of Pakistan and the policies they follow. Third, as an example, creation of Bangladesh by splitting Pakistan is regularly quoted by Indian experts for the headaches Bangladesh created for India after assassination of Sheikh Mujibhur Rahman.
Indians have been spoon-fed for decades that united Pakistan poses less threat than fragmented Pakistan.
Today with return of Prime Minister Sheikh Haseena, we have resolved mutually most of the issues with Bangladesh. However, East Pakistan population on break-up did not come and sit on our heads as is being visualized by many Indians. It is falsely proposed that if Bangladesh had not split, Pakistan Army would be divided between unrest in Bangladesh (East Pakistan) and on our Western Borders.
In the worst case scenario, Pakistan would have resolved issues with East Pakistan in an internal settlement and continued to pose two-front threats on the western and the eastern borders. In addition, its military pact with China will be another major front to tackle. Thereby most of India’s land borders would be under turmoil.
Read More: If Pakistan splinter
Similarly, if Pakistan splinters neither the population will migrate to India nor Pakistan will be able to pose the kind of military threat that it does at present. Their increasing internal contradictions will keep them extremely busy within. However, our mandarins thoughtlessly propose that break-up of Pakistan will create havoc for India, though they neither control the destiny of Pakistan nor have any influence in Islamabad to stop it from committing suicide!
Indians can live with Pakistan without any rancor provided Pakistan gives up its anti-India activity. However, the truth is that it is for Pakistan to learn to live with India.
The fact of the matter is that break-up of Pakistan (though we have no say in such matters), actually benefits the democracies.
This article first published in IDR Net Edition | Date: 13 Jan , 2012.
