During the recent Indian attack on Pakistan which had been given code name Operation Sindhoor, the Indian political and military leadership has reverted to several unfounded and obfuscatory narratives to explain their failure. Another of these allegations is that India was in a two front battle and fighting on both sides against Pakistan and China.
Based on this fabricated story China rendered help to Pakistan through delivering information about the movements of Indians forces and other strategic operations. But both Pakistan and China have denied such claims categorically. These allegations have been shot down by the powerful retort to the entire misgivings on such lines by the military leadership of Pakistan and specifically Field Marshal Asim Munir.
A Clear and Firm Rejection of Indian Claims
When giving a speech to graduating officers at the National Security and Warfare Course in Islamabad, Field Marshal Asim Munir said categorically that Indian allegations do not simply lack merit, but they also represent a poor excuse to hide the failure of its own military. He stressed that the war was an event between two and not the third party like China.
Field Marshal’s said the Indian story is just politics as a charmer to cover the failure of the Operation Sindhoor and to satisfy the unhappy people at home. Field Marshal Asim Munir has strengthened that wars are never won using media as a weapon, advanced weapons of foreign countries and empty political rhetoric. Instead, real success in the military sphere is attained when the success is backed with utter conviction, the personal excellence, operational clarity and a strong character of the nation. His quote resonated heavily to demystify the media centric warfare in India that ended up failing in achieving its goals in the battlefield.
Pakistan’s Strategic Response
The way Pakistan responded to the Indian aggression was strategic, accurate and firm. The blame of Operation Sindhoor can easily be placed on the baffled shoulders of Indian military and political strategists, who just because they had numerical and technological edge, were unable to plan and be strategic enough so that the power may be turned to success. The sovereignty of Pakistan and the territorial integrity are non-negotiable, and Field Marshal Asim Munir reminded the world about it.
There will be a reaction that much more drastic and excruciating than could be expected in case of any misadventure on the side of India in the future. The move by India to have China as a component in the equation is viewed by many observers as a move of desperation. Rather than telling the truth about the fact that a military operation was not a success, Indian leadership has resorted to spreading conspiracy theories, destabilizing the region and damaging its reputation even more at the international level.
Support from China and Strategic Reality
China also don’t take these Indian allegations lightly and gave a sharp denial. The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson in a press briefing in Beijing explained that the cooperation between China and Pakistan military is normal and not directed to a third party. China supported that it is following the developing situation between Pakistan and India closely and hoped that the two sides would patiently and peacefully solve the disputes.
The stance of China re-echoes that they are partners of Pakistan due to mutual respect, cooperation in defence and prescription of peace in the region and not by aggression and hostility to other countries. India is dismissed by the official Chinese position and the account of Pakistan regarding a bilateral dispute only. It depicts the long core policy of neutrality concerning regional conflict on the part of China and the strategic interest on its part to preserve peace and stability on the part of South Asia.
Political Support and Diplomatic Clarity
Backing the statement of Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif also made a strong comment saying that it was right of Pakistan to buy defence weapons anywhere. By saying that the fight against India was his country only and the national determination could win the war on the battlefield, he tried to explain that there was no foreign help on the battlefield. Pakistan has also been able to gain diplomatically to the narrative. The Indian assault initiated based on Pahalgam incident was faced not only with military opposition but a powerful post ceasefire diplomacy.
The world community has been alarmed and is looking with concern to the rising belligerence in India due to the narrow vision of Hindutva which is posing threats to the peace of the whole region.
The Kashmir Question
The key issue presenting the centre of Indo-Pak conflict is the unresolved issue of Jammu and Kashmir. The main reason behind hostility lies in occupation of the region by India which to date has not complied with the UN Security Council resolution. The recent war and the bellicose approach of India is another eye opener that sustainable peace should only come via justice and dialogue. The rebuttal of the Field Marshal Asim Munir also urges India to shed its face-saving patterns and accept the fact of its defeats, both militarily and diplomatically.
He called upon the international community to realize the role of Pakistan and its intention of peaceful settlement of the Kashmir issue including intervention of third party. The response offered by the Field Marshal Asim Munir is not only the response to the propaganda brought forth by the Indian government but rather an affirmation of the nature of the preparedness and strategic soundness of the Pakistani military as well as respect towards the sovereignty of its nation.
It reveals the contradicting nature of the Indian leaders and demands the review of the aggressive Indian policy in the region. Having the undisguised backing of China and a principled misposition in the ousting of peace in the region. Pakistan has once again proved that it can’t compromise its security and sovereignty.
Instead of coming up with all sorts of alibis of its incapacity, India must look within itself and make efforts to resolve deep rooted issues such as Kashmir in a meaningful dialogue. It is now time Indian leadership needs to realize the extent to which media war and rhetoric can go, and must follow the route to truth, diplomacy and peace.
