Letter

It will be a privilege to publish letters from readers
about articles written in previous issues or giving
suggestions. No letter will be printed which indulges
in personalized attacks or is meaningless in the context of DJ

‘CTBT the only solution’, by Col (Retd) I Hassan published in the Defence Journal of August 1998, is a stark reminder of our assumed lowly status in the defence capabilities against many times our superior adversary. Subservience to Hindu Mahasaba, what he advocates, is considered the best option for us if we are to maintain our sovereignty and avoid annihilation amidst confrontation which could lead Pakistan, assumably to a total destruction. Pakistan is certainly handicapped by the absence of strategic depth, but so are many other countries the world over, which are nuclear yet lacking strategic depth to absorb a blitzkrieg or an atomic reprisal. Countries having amassed weapons capable of inflicting horrendous destruction on the humanity, have lived with their adversaries, having more serious difference of opinion, yet absolute obliteration is never contemplated, as viable a threat, as has been predicted in our case. If we were to accept India’s hegemony then why display bigotry or chauvinism, and allow unprecedented humiliation and slaughter of own people in the name of partition. The great Quaid should not have fuddled with and resisted the Indian National Congress struggle for unified India, which would have insured a lasting peace - never to worry about CTBT, NPT or FMCT etc. Assuredly, the consequent problems would have been of a different dimension, taking in account the intolerant Hindus’ state of mind.

Before deciding the fate of the controversial CTBT, an appreciation, of the Hindu mentality in the light of existing Geo-Politico and Geo-Strategic compulsions and the debatable ascendancy of India in the mass destruction weapons beside her superior conventional arsenals is required to be made with an unbiased and open mind.

Destruction of Islamabad, the Prime Minister and his estate at Raiwind has been depicted with such simplicity as if the Indians will walk in, say hello, drop few bombs and leave with impunity; very simple and straightforward. The presence of the nearly equal atomic capability and delivery system has not been even acknowledged, leaving aside giving it the capability of giving a bleeding nose to Indians. In the presence of an effective conventional defensive system, proved atomic warhead delivery system backed by the recent atomic explosions should be reason enough to stop any such venture against Pakistan from maturing. The magnitude of destruction which can be caused by our atomic capability may be good enough reason to stop anyone in his mid stride and force him to retreat; sanity prevailing.

If only area was the yardstick than Russia should have obliterated USA much before, far in the end, as concluded by the author, USSR would have come out victorious. Exact figures of the intensity and quality of the explosions conducted by Indo-Pak is fairly unknown and the presence of hydrogen bomb may still be a debatable issue. But even if it is correct, the presence of an equal deterrence on both sides is a strong persuasive force to control the emotions. Likely targets would certainly be large population centres but the pre-emption has to be the outcome of a serious territorial violation and explosively strained relations. Such situation would have led to countdown on both sides and an in-flight ascendancy only may be the deciding factor as far as the extent of destruction is concerned. Sure enough, both sides will suffer horrendous destruction of varying extent; unacceptable to both. The severity of the situation, prompting both sides into accepting such mass destruction has got to be the product of insanity and intense desperation. No, the odds are not in favour of such madness and display of insanity on either side. The incidents, where super powers have been retracting on their misjudged adventures in the face of a resolute resistance, and fear of consequent escalation of an atomic war, are a proof enough - the Cuban crises might substantiate this argument.

The Hinduism has introversive tendencies due mainly to caste system and the intrinsic fear of the upper caste Hindus lest they lose their religious ascendancy and grip if other religions are accepted in its folds. Even Buddha, an Indian Hindu prince, could not make much headway in spreading Buddhism across India only because he preached human equality and peace as the main pillars of his religious teachings, which were not acceptable to the upper caste Hindus. The main reason thus for the non-acceptance of Buddhism in India was the fact of advocating human equality. From Mahmud of Ghazni to the arrival of Mughals, India was subjected to reforms aimed at relieving the lower class in the Hindu society of the tyranny of the Hindu mythologies. Akbar-e-Azam went to the other extreme by advocating inter-marriages as part of his Din-e-Ilahi in the quest to appease the Hindu upper caste; and to prove his sincerity, he himself married a Rajput woman who was later to give birth to his Waliahad, Jahangir. Almost all the Mughal kings and the Pathan emperors from time to time did all they could to involve Hindus in their country’s administration, but no amount of benevolence and persuasion could win the upper caste Hindus, who always considered Muslims as ‘Maleech’ and untouchables. The same attitude was starkly discernible during the Pakistan Movement. The Nehru Report of 1928 at Delhi served as a confirming note in regards with the uncompromising stance of the Hindu Bania on the status of human equality. They had never accepted Muslims as a second nation before the partition and are still working to prove, that the ‘Two Nation Theory’ was a political disaster and Akhand Bahrat is the only logical solution toward ameliorating the situation. A glance through our past history was just to remind that once the Hindu Mahasaba is sure about our inability of paying them in the same coin, they will be too tempted to destroy us with a view to subjugating us into accepting their hegemony as dominant partner. Mutual co-existence with Muslims is a word as alien to them as it is to the Jews in respect of Palestinians and the Arabs.

It may be pointed out that NPT, FMCT or CTBT is a pledge with the world community and not a certificate from India for non-violence and aggression. We may sign the treaty and yet may be subjected to a blatant aggression by India, so manifest in her attitude during the interim period between the explosions. The organization of our Armed Forces, their strategic balance and above all our belated atomic explosion points out our national stance on the country’s defence and the importance we attach to our sovereignty. Lobbing of few nuclear bombs to bring the Indian Goliath on its knees can only be an aftermath of a day dreaming. Getting jittery and consequent pre-emption may not be a very persuasive argument to force us to put off our guards and sign the CTBT and NTP to avoid complete obliteration through the launching of hydrogen bomb or the like, against us.

The economic factor, the US stance on the atomic issue, and her turncoat attitude where her self-interest is involved, may force us to make certain harsh decisions. The common Pakistani may even get down to ‘eating grass’ when the conditions so demand, but it can not be said for the elites and the ruling janta who are so engrossed in amassing wealth and power and indifferent to the country’s stakes. Time is in India’s favour, who can play the game working towards attaining a permanent seat in the Security Council and acquiring the status of South Asian super power. US has set up precedence by lobbing missiles into Afghanistan and Sudan without any fear of reprisal, and India is capable of aping just the same to extend her hegemony to South-East Asia, the East-Indies and West-Asia with assumed impunity. US has reportedly agreed in principle to provide the super technology to India for the production of the ICBM, and may in future under the pressure of her own self-interest crown her with the permanent seat of Security Council, after all, it can become the biggest market and investment centre for the US entrepreneurs. Signature onuclear parity will therefore be broken. The Navy will also be reduced to 20-25 relatively modern multipurpose SSNs and about 10 diesel submarine (SSKs). For surface ships, she will have not more than one aircraft carrier, 2-3 guided missile cruisers, 7-10 guided missile destroyers, 10-12 guided missile frigates, and 30 minesweepers and 30-40 guided missile boats. These ships will be spread over five isolated sea and ocean theatres, with no possibility of manoeuvring between these theatres. ‘If Russia continst not be shelved in haste without giving due consideration to every clause of the treaty and gaps of interpretations needs to be intelligently analyzed, because our national interest must remain supreme and no amount of pressure, may it be economic or militant, be accepted.

I read with interest the fine assessment on the subject, by Lt. Gen. (Retd). Sardar F.S. Lodi and the collection of the reactions from leading Newspapers in the country. However the last para, which reads:

‘Today the Army along with the Navy and the Air Force are the only institutions that are holding the country together. It seems the politicians are battering against them repeatedly. One hopes and prays that they will stand fast and not crumble. The people depend on them.’

It’s not entirely correct and might appear to some as perhaps too sweeping a statement. Yes, the present politicians are doing no good for the institutions of the Nation and the State but at the same time the first stones were cast by the FM during the 1st Martial Law 1958-1968. The second 1968-197.... and so on. the Armed Forces also had their chances to correct this but they too, went the same way as our politicians.

Somewhere I had once read a disturbing sentence’ The last refuge of a scoundrel is in Politics or Patriotism....’

Nevertheless I join Gen. (Retd). Lodi Saheb in the prayer for our country, Nation and State. Indeed the people depend on prayers, which may be our last hope.