ISLAMABAD: Former foreign secretary Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry has said India has always used terrorism to excoriate Pakistan, and in the bargain, resorted to acts of terror itself.

“Those who dared to expose Indian terror fetish like Hemant Karkare were eliminated,” he eloquently quotes from current history, apart from spelling many such misadventures of New Delhi.

Mr Chaudhary, who served as ambassador to the United States, was speaking at the launch of his book titled ‘Pakistan-India Relations: Fractured Past, Uncertain Future’ on Friday at the Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI).

The book is a first-hand account of his diplomatic experience spanning over more than 37 years, and has closely dealt with the sensitive issue of relations with India in an unbiased manner. He has widely referred to and touch-based authentic sources from India, and quoted a host of books from Indian, British and American authors apart from Pakistan.

He also added that relations have taken a backseat since the unilateral abrogation of Article 370 and 35-A, as well as the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty in utter disregard of international law.

He cited the execution of Afzal Guru, who was sentenced to death by the Indian Supreme Court, to merely appease public sentiments in the absence of any concrete evidence.

“The Indian quest for hegemony in the region has derailed any cooperation with Pakistan,” Ambassador Chaudhary said.

He articulately starts depicting the tale from pre-partition days, especially the genesis of the Hindu and Muslim nationalism in the Indian Subcontinent, to the most recent showdown of May 2025. Likewise, he has touched upon the most important incidents that could either break or make ties.

Mr Chaudhary has divided his dissertation into four parts: mutual mistrust; the Kashmir dispute; terrorism narrative to malign Pakistan; and India’s quest for regional dominance.

This is where, he said, both countries had failed to coexist peacefully, and were at the verge of perpetual confrontation.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2025