An English saying goes, 'If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.' While wishes aren't horses, Pakistan seems to be riding one these days. The horse, named 'mania,' is a dangerous breed that Pakistan is once again mounting. This nation has been split into two due to its trivial actions and is still on the brink of further division. The root causes remain violence, hatred, injustice, and mania. If Pakistan, which approaches every nation with a begging bowl, had chosen the right path and recognized India's significance, perhaps the situation would have improved, but it has yet to come to its senses.
Pakistan opened factories of mania right after the partition. Terrorists of every breed and every kind kept thriving there. His world was limited to AK-47 in his hand and slogan of Takbir on his lips, as a result of which terrorism, Pakistani army and ISI joined hands to create gangs of devils and kept shedding blood in India. Pakistan army has always trampled democracy under its boots. Its army chief has become president many times. Be it Yahya Khan, Zia-ul-Haq or Pervez Musharraf. Army generals have changed the constitution again and again. History is witness that violent generals did ride the horse of madness but everyone knows what their fate was.
Today, Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir is also dealing with a volatile situation. In Pakistan's political landscape, the three 'A's—Allah, Army, and America—hold significant influence. It is often remarked that these three entities govern Pakistan, directing everything from power decisions to leadership changes. Currently, Pakistan is once again aligning with America, and Donald Trump is showing favor towards it. Asim Munir is emulating his predecessors by adopting the title of Field Marshal, despite setbacks in Operation Sindoor, through strategic maneuvers. It appears that a coup led by Shahbaz Sharif could occur at any moment in Pakistan, as Munir might become the Prime Minister with American backing.
The Army Chief of Pakistan has long held the belief that his words possess a certain power. A few well-timed statements can sway international opinion, challenge India's determination, and reaffirm Pakistan's significance in Washington. Field Marshal Asim Munir is the latest to be embroiled in this scenario. He has visited the US twice in less than two months, with his second trip to Tampa receiving a warm reception from US military officials, eager to involve him in the larger strategic landscape. Addressing an expatriate audience, he boldly stated that if India constructed a dam on the Indus River, Pakistan would retaliate with ten missiles. As if this dramatic display wasn't enough, he further claimed that if Pakistan faced an existential threat, it could impact half the world. These remarks are not private musings but are intentionally provocative statements made publicly on foreign soil during an official visit.
Munir's threats are familiar. Every new army chief in Pakistan often speaks like a movie villain. Pakistan considers Kashmir its lifeline, and India is weary of hearing this. Pakistan's nuclear bomb threats are also not new. India has consistently responded firmly to these threats, asserting it will not succumb to Pakistan's nuclear intimidation. Munir's trip to America carries diplomatic significance. His visit coincides with America's frustration over India's decision to purchase oil and weapons from Russia and maintain an independent foreign policy during Trump's second term. Trump's engagement with America aims to exert pressure on India. Pakistan's problem is that it does not remember anything. Pakistan's rulers forgot the Nehru-Liaqat Ali agreement. They forgot the Tashkent agreement after the 1965 war. They forgot the crushing defeat in the 1971 war. He does not even remember that India had tied 93 thousand Pakistani soldiers with ropes and they were released after the Shimla Agreement. Asim Munir is mortgaging Pakistan to the hands of America due to his wishes. America has its own compulsions behind embracing Pakistan, so it kept showering dollars on Pakistan.
In fact, Pakistan has historically been one of the top countries receiving American aid. However, American aid to Pakistan has declined drastically in the last few years. Especially since 2019, when then President Donald Trump attacked the Islamic country for not taking enough steps to stop terrorism. When Biden took office in 2020, the relationship deteriorated even more. This is evident from the fact that Imran did not even get the traditional phone call after Biden became President.
There was a stagnation in the relations between the two. Donald Trump's inclination towards Pakistan is a dramatic change. Whether it is considered a strategic change or Trump's drama, it will be known later. America needs the Indian market as much as other countries. America's Indo-Pacific calculations also depend on India, so India will have to follow its own firm path. No power is capable of bending India. India is a supporter of peace but sometimes blood is also needed to water the plants of peace and India is always ready for this.