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WHILE Pakistan sought regional cooperation with India, the latter test-fired the Prithvi-II. It is capable of hitting its target as far as 350 km.
Was it really necessary to conduct a missile test at the time when our leadership is seeking reconciliation with India? It is this perpetual ironic attitude of India that blurs the hopes of good Pak-Indian ties.
Islamabad needs to set its future political outlay carefully as the Bhartiya Janata Party leader Narendra Modhi is expected to win the prime ministership in the coming Indian Lok Sabha elections.
South Asia is on the cusp of change for its cycle of new governments will close at the mid of this year. The Pandora’s box of Afghanistan will also open soon once the US pulls out its troops from the region at the end of this year.
In such turn of events, both Pakistan and India should refrain from exercising their military might and instead should strive for regional stability and economic cooperation.
Engr. Wajahat Afridi
Peshawar
Read more
On DawnNews
Comments (19) Closed
Jan 17, 2014 08:40am
Well said Sir.
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Jan 17, 2014 09:36am
These missile tests are planned months in advance and notice is given by each side well in advance as well. So there are no subtle messages being sent by virtue of a missile test. It does allow haters to point at them as issues however.
Secondly if by some chance Narendra Modi comes to power, it's not a big deal. Whatever you may have heard about Narendra Modi, other than one riot (started by the burning of 58 Hindu pilgrims) in which the unproven ALLEGATION is that he did not do enough to stop things, there's nothing to indicate that he will take the region in a wrong direction.
So calm down.
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Jan 17, 2014 10:55am
India has successfully sent mars mission which has range of millions of km and you are concerned about just 350 km! Such talks are just wastage of time, India should avoid holding such talks. Hopefully next govt will be more sensible in matter of external affairs.
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Jan 17, 2014 12:38pm
India's hegemonic pattern expresses its hawkish nature. India has never been sincere to make friendly relations with Pakistan. Pakistan's continuous support for settlement of disputes through bilateral talks has rejected by India many times.
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Jan 17, 2014 01:52pm
Indian leaders are following cold start doctrine and they believe that they can deter Pakistan by maximizing nuclear weapons. This hawkish approach is the real hurdle in peace process between two states.
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Jan 17, 2014 02:01pm
Pakistan and India are the two major powers in the South Asian region and the strategic balance of the region is solely and highly dependent on the behavior of these states. Pakistan is a state which has always shown its willingness in sorting out the issue with India and to build up peace between eah other but India remains reluctant and keeps on introducing such developments in the region to make Pakistan insecure, thus giving the prove that it is diverting from the so called its credible minimum deterrence and making the region more prone to conflicts and instability.
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Jan 17, 2014 03:59pm
The writer must be living in his imaginary world. Hindu India will never be friend of Pakistan. He should read history books. Once Gandhi said he is Hindu first and so is India Hindu first.
Jinnah was the first one among India Muslim, who found out that there is no room for him in congress, though he was the most secular Muslim in the whole of India.
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Jan 17, 2014 04:49pm
Its like a tiny island Cuba asking the US to not test its new planes, missiles and whatnot, for whatever reasons.
India is a member of the G20, on its way to become the 3rd largest Economy in the world, with a population 1/6th of Humanity.
Pakistan is becoming irrelevant Economically, Socially and Geo politically every day. India cannot halt its progress for the appeasement of a power which has an Economy 10 times smaller than itself.
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Jan 17, 2014 09:47pm
India's missile test is for it's security concerns, because China has done a lot of tests in regular intervals. It is separate from peace talks.
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Jan 17, 2014 11:28pm
Why every defense preparedness exercise done by India has to be Pakistan specific. After all we have some other potentially hostile neighbors too.
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Jan 18, 2014 01:21am
Well said. Both countries should lower the temperature in South Asia. Its about time both extend an olive branch to each other and indulge in peace for the betterment of the future generations. Any Mandela in there who can rise up to the moment.
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Jan 18, 2014 05:10am
r u kidding..., first know that Pakistan is not the only neighbour India have and then Pakistan by it actions esp in last two decades used every method to earn the terrorist image in India and knowing that, dont you feel it silly to expect any kind of reciprocity from India. It would be better if we both ignore each other atleast for another 10 yrs.
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Jan 19, 2014 08:21am
Don't worry, India has a sensible majority, who would be voting against Modi.
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Jan 19, 2014 12:42pm
Engineer sahab, missile tests dont happen overnight. Being an engineer you should know that. They are planned months ahead of time and Indian authorities always inform Pakistan ahead of time regarding the tests and vice versa.
Hoe you can sleep better now knowing that it is not a conspiracy
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Jan 19, 2014 06:21pm
The Indians have a fundamental inferiority complex when it comes to Pakistan and really do not seem to want to have neighbourly let alone brotherly relations with Pakistan. It is about time that Pakistanis of all walks of life realize the true intentions of India and wake up and smell the coffee called Bharat!
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Jan 19, 2014 09:25pm
@Sana:
**Pakistan and India are the two major powers in the South Asian region and the strategic balance of the region is solely and highly dependent on the behavior of these states.**
Sana ji, if two major powers of the region are India and Pakistan, the God help the region. One country cannot keep its women safe while the other is in the process of systematic self-destruction.
May be "two major countries" or "two major stake holders" would be a better title. Lets not live in delusions - We are nothing like a power. Not even close.
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Jan 20, 2014 09:38am
@fida sayani:
i am did not understand that how pak forget gandhi.this very unfortunate and painful.
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Jan 20, 2014 04:56pm
@fida sayani:
when he said this please show your reference
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Jan 20, 2014 05:02pm
@Sana:
Such developments like Economic Development, Education, Health and all ?? Come on Ma'am.
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