APROPOS the article ‘Why Bangladesh overtook Pakistan’ (Feb 9). There is no comparison between Bangladesh and Pakistan. It doesn’t face an existential threat from a larger hostile neighbour, India, which forces Pakistan to spend a lot to keep a minimum deterrence. Remember Pakistan’s dismemberment by New Delhi in 1971.

New Delhi has suppressed by violent force many secessionist and freedom movements in India like the Naxalite movement, Indian Punjab and the brutal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir where gross human rights violations are committed daily. Who knows this better than the Kashmiris who are still facing the Indian onslaught.

Pakistan is also a victim of terrorism for supporting the Superpower’s war on terror. Her economy has incurred losses of billions of dollars, besides more than 73,000 people killed in 16 years of conflict.

The fact is India has never accepted Pakistan and wants to see it a failed state. In pursuit of this ambition it has played every dirty trick in the book to bring it grief. Pakistan was created on the two-nation theory and India has never accepted Pakistan and wished it well. Bangladesh has no such threats.

Dhaka has bowed to New Delhi and accepted Indian hegemony. India Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave Bangladesh a $5 billion loan to boost its economy. Bangladesh is almost run by the Indians. Pakistan is a thorn at an important place while Bangladesh is not confronted by any such issues.

The writer perhaps forgot about New Delhi spreading mischief in Khyber Pakhtukhwa and Balochistan to destabilise this country. Karachi, the economic lifeline of Pakistan, was turned into a hub of inter-gang rivalry to badly hurt its economy. India is trying to undo Pakistan with its back door approach. New Delhi tried to stop Kashmiris protest in the British House of Commons this year but failed.

I hope I live to see Kashmir free of Indian occupation and living as equal citizens in the federation of Pakistan.

Shahid Naqashbandi

Srinagar, Occupied Kashmir

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2019