“Pak troops kill two soldiers, behead one. Barbaric act condemned”. This is the sum total of all news coverage and reactions over “brazen intrusion” by Pakistani forces.
Yes it is indeed a barbaric act. It is important to note that this marks neither the beginning nor the end of barbaric acts on this issue. Scores of fathers have carried bodies of their young sons and scores more would, this is not going to stop. Scores of young wives have joined the ranks of “war widows associations” on both sides of the border, this is not going to stop. Scores of mothers have kept their hands on their empty wombs and wailed till their eyes dried, this is not going to stop either.
Is it not barbaric that political leaders on both sides of the fence do nothing about it?
Is it not barbaric that politics and diplomacy are given precedence over life, every time?
Is it not barbaric that despite intelligence reports warning of lurking danger, soldiers are not adequately supported to handle the situation?
Is it not barbaric that few committees would be formed whose sole purpose would be to see how the terms of committee could be extended beyond initial 6 months or so.
Human life has very little value in Indian subcontinent, the life of a professional soldier has none. At the most, his life is worth a medal or two given posthumously.The India – Pakistan territory dispute is not a war, it is more of a side show kept active by politicians of both the sides to serve as news changer. It is not that this dispute has no solutions, there are zillions of solutions, but leaders of both the sides who work on a solution have to concede that there are going to be no winners in this. They have to be willing to hear accusations of sell-out against themselves, unfortunately they don’t want to. Pain of a few fathers, wives and mothers from time to time is part of the game for them.
Home Ministers, Defence Ministers and Prime Ministers who have kept this issue alive for over sixty years owe their lives to these martyrs and they also owe an explanations to family members, friends and the nation at large.
Going ahead and beheading 4 or 40 Pakistani soldiers would always be an easy call than solving this problem. As a nation, we need to push our “leaders” to solve this problem. The political attitude of “my way” or “no way” can only make us lose more lives and more dreams. We need a solution and we can’t wait for river Indus or Jhelum to dry before a solution is found to it.
