Responding to India’s air strikes, veteran diplomats said Islamabad should appreciate the fact that Indian jets did not strike Pakistan military installations but only the camp of the terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed in Balakot.
A former senior diplomat said New Delhi had carefully described the operation as a “pre-emptive strike” and not a retaliation against the military.
“Pakistan often describes itself as a victim of terrorism. So the response of the spokesperson of Pakistan military is surprising, seeming to indicate that they consider terrorist outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammed as parts of the Pakistan military. They should join us in eliminating terror groups and consider the strike on Balakot as a favour as we have hit terror infrastructure,” said Amar Sinha, former Indian Ambassador to Kabul and a member of the National Security Advisory Board.
Mr. Sinha’s comments came after the Pakistan military spokesman said the Pakistan military would surprise India with its response. Mr. Sinha said India had clearly indicated that it did not want an escalation, and Pakistan was playing to its domestic gallery of fundamentalists.
Frank Hans Dannenberg-Castellanos, Dean of Diplomatic Corps, expressed satisfaction at the way India briefed all Heads of Missions stationed in India. “It was expressed that there is no intention to escalate, and India will act in restraint and responsibly,” Mr. Dannenberg-Castellanos said.
Kashmir issue
Chinmaya Gharekhan, former Indian envoy to the UN, however, cautioned India to prepare for a diplomatic offensive by Pakistan as Beijing was a key international supporter of Pakistan. “There is a possibility that Pakistan supported by China could present Indian military strike on its territory as a violation of its sovereignty and push UN Security Council to take up the Kashmir issue,” Mr. Gharekhan said.
Pakistan has failed to force the UN to take up the Kashmir issue for many years despite its consistent campaign on the issue. Mr. Gharekhan cautioned India to be alert for a counter-diplomatic initiative by Islamabad.
