Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan took the turn of events in Pakistan’s favour to once again call for talks; some would say “beg” for talks. Since then, a clutch of Pakistan’s ministers have reiterated the demand. In fact, ‘let’s talk’ is the refrain in all Pakistan media; unlike in India where the media is well and truely divided. A section of the Indian media is calling for talks while another is vociferously demanding that India “teach Pakistan a lesson” and that it’s now or never!

The peaceniks among the India media got a shot in the arm after the capture of the IAF pilot by Pakistan. They are now talking of the “dangers of the situation becoming even more fraught, with no real advantage to India” if India escalates. Their contention is India has made its point and Pakistan has made its point; so, let’s go to the negotiating table, which is what Pakistan wants and Prime Minister Imran Khan – “statesman-like, as the head of a civilized country should” –also called for talks, for the second time in a dozen days.

After the capture of the IAF pilot, it’s as if his return will be and should be all that remains to sort out differences between the two countries and for talks to resume. Needless to say, India’s response should not be decided by “studio warriors”, but it should also not be dictated by “armchair analysts”, sitting with pen poised in newsrooms.

Pilots and soldiers go into war expecting the worst and one pilot caught or released should not be the tipping point. Pakistan cannot be allowed to blackmail India with Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, his safety in Pakistan and his safe return to India. The Geneva Convention protects him as it does all POW in all wars. Any de-escalation cannot hinge on the fate of one prisoner of war.

A lot of talk since Wednesday’s events has been that “his release is the focus” of the Modi government, especially after India handed over a dossier on the Pulwama attack to Pakistan, as demanded by Imran Khan and which he termed “actionable evidence.” The rhetoric is that India should secure the pilot’s return and work with the global community to ensure peace in the region, which is exactly what Pakistan wants, a possible internationalizing of Kashmir.

Pakistan wants talks on Kashmir, doesn’t matter how the goal is achieved. It has wanted talks on Kashmir right from when the state of Jammu & Kashmir became a bone of contention between the two countries. It has fought wars to push India to the negotiating table and it has used terror proxies and cross-border terrorism as a state tool to force India to hold talks on Kashmir. Mumbai 26/11, Uri, Pathankot, Pulwama, the examples are there to count.

Pakistan’s nuclear rhetoric, the threat to use the nuclear option thrown in after every conflict inflexion point, has also been calibrated to push India to talks. Escalate with proxy terror strikes, hold out the nuclear threat if India retaliates and then ask for de-escalation. That has been Pakistan’s blueprint for the last three decades. But every time India fell for the Pakistani ploy, Pakistan has fallen back on terror to thwart the very talks it called for, strengthening the belief that for Pakistan, keeping Kashmir on the boil serves a larger purpose, at least for the Pakistan Army.

It’s a shame India looks and sounds divided at such a time. It is not news that Pakistanis have always stood like a rock behind its army. The country has been under its military’s shadow for so long that Pakistani citizens cannot think of any other dispensation other than the army calling the shots. Prime Minister Imran Khan may hanker for talks and de-escalation, but is that what the Pakistan Army wants? Not when Pakistani F-16s continue to try to violate Indian airspace, which they tried to do Thursday noon, too.

India cannot and should not back off now, not after bringing things to such an inflexion point. Pakistan’s “terror face” stands exposed. How many countries are ready to go to war over terror proxies and how many have terror proxies working within their territories? Pakistan has been using sentiments in the Kashmir Valley to forward its anti-India agenda for far too long and another opportunity will not come India’s way to expose Pakistan’s duplicity.

Significantly, India’s main opposition party, the Congress, is not for de-escalation. The Congress has been in government and Congress governments have gone on the offensive against Pakistan more than once. Ever since the pre-emptive strikes on JeM targets in Pakistan, several Congress leaders have come on record and called for no quarters to be given to Pakistan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will do well to call an all-party meet and present a united India to Pakistan and the world at large. Succumbing to Pakistan’s blackmail is the last thing India wants. (IPA Service)