Editorial: Pakistan’s Existential Crisis

The killings of school children in Peshawar Military School have reiterated the fact that Pakistan is facing Frankenstein effect of its ‘terror promotion policy’. Many strong statements are issued and Pakistan again with its verbal commitments is trying to shield the culprits of 26/11 Mumbai attack. It is proved beyond doubt that the state of Pakistan will not and cannot afford to disband its policy of breeding terrorism on its soil. The real issue is whether it has put a question mark on ‘Idea of Pakistan’ as a nation.
Many people believe that Pakistan conceptualised its proxy war as a reaction to 1971 Indo-Pak war, that led to creation of Bangladesh. The reality infact is that it was not Zia-ul-Haq but Jinnah, who made statements after statement about unfinished project called ‘Pakistan’. People, who entered Jammu and Kashmir on October 23, 1947, were the seeds of terrorism Pakistan sowed- Pakistan was being created on the ground of negating ‘Indian’ identity and conceiving ‘Islamic’ identity. The very idea compelled Pakistan to promote anti-Indianism, and pro-terrorism. When the same terrorist outfits are bleeding Pakistan and justifying killings on basis of Islamic diktats, the very existence of Pakistan is under threat. There is a pressure from within to disband policy of terrorism at the same time hardliners nurtured by the Pakistan State are pushing for more Islamic laws. If Pakistan continues to succumb to the pressure of Islamists, it will continue to bleed. Common masses will revolt and Pakistan eventually will crumble as a nation. If Pakistan does not sincerely execute the policy of curbing terrorism, the very idea of Pakistan as a nation will stand threatened.
This is a classic case of existential dilemma for the neighbour country. Stable and peaceful Pakistan is neither India’s responsibility nor of any global power. It is the responsibility of the people of Pakistan. Perhaps, the Peshawar incident will make them realise their national responsibility. But again their dilemma is whether they can do so by negating their India connection and abandoning anti-India existence? If they do so Pakistan will not remain the same Pakistan, and India will also change as a nation.