In military war games, one group is tasked to play as Fox-Land (FL/enemy), which is comparatively a harder job as one has to have full comprehension not only of own, but more importantly enemy’s defensive and offensive capabilities, intent and offensive plans at the operational levels in the overall strategic environment. Allow me to act as a Foxland in this short piece to underscore what would be FL’s political, diplomatic, economic, socio-psycho and covert options to confront and undermine Pakistan (Blue Land/ BL) as a state, which has check-mated FL and allies by developing an effective nuclear deterrence along with multiple delivery means after suffering a loss of half the country from FL hands in 1971. Despite superiority in conventional military means, much better political system, far better economy and consequent superior diplomatic maneuvers, fresh strategic alliances, and favorable regional environment, BL’s nuclear deterrence capability has been the only forbidding factor in realisation of FL’s long cherished dream of absorbing Pakistan as a part of greater India or at least make it a compliant non-nuclear state by making it economically dependent on FL and allies and allowing FL to reach out freely in Eurasian markets to frustrate Chinese BRI. Since conventional military confrontation is bound to remain indecisive, therefore, in order to achieve FL’s ultimate goal, I will have to target BL on multiple fronts by exploiting her existing fault lines and by creating more fissures. Here I go!
On the diplomatic front, by capitalizing on my proud claims of being the largest democracy, ever improving economic and military stature, a very large diasporas occupying important seats in foreign countries and multinational companies, and fresh economic and strategic military alliances, I must strive harder to gain a permanent seat at the UN Security Council to rise as a big power with veto power and not only to settle long lingering Kashmir issue on my favorable terms, but also realise my claims on BL held Kashmir and Northern Areas, favorably settle Chinese held disputed areas in Leh/ Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh, decimate insurgencies in Jammu & Kashmir, seven sister states in the North East, Assam, Punjab and in other places. At the same time, through adroit use of my stature, commonality of interests with other countries and influence on the international print, electronic, social media and Think Tanks, keep projecting BL as a rogue state sponsoring terrorism for diplomatic isolation and pressure.
On the political front, give boost to covert efforts to further aggravate existing political polarization in BL as was done in the former East Pakistan in 1970. Further enhance investment on the sub-nationalist political elements in BL, promote proxies by funding, arming and equipping to keep Pakistan Armed Forces on the anvil, continue to stimulate armed insurgencies, sub-nationalism, ethnic and religious /sectarian divide, fissiparous tendencies, keep widening the gulf between the civil and military through imperceptible investment on weak and greedy leadership. Keep convincing the corrupt power elite in BL about the benefits of developing robust economic relations with India while putting the bane of contentions like Kashmir, violations of Indus Water treaty and other border disputes at the back burner for later consideration. As for emergence of men of character and strong personalities among the leadership cadres, keep getting them nipped in the bud while promoting incompetent and compromised old political and bureaucratic elite well entrenched in connivance with other strategic allies and through supporting mafia and Trojan Horses in BL. Encourage more and more business relations with prevailing power elites by using third countries’ platforms and through strong incentives including manipulation of universal human weaknesses.
As for the Economic Front, I don’t need to do much as BL is already on the verge of getting economically defaulted as a result of consistent mismanagement, corruption, and unabated dependence on economic crutches provided by the IMF, World Bank, ADP and other IFIs instead of development of self-reliant economy. If that materializes, I must continue to exert maximum pressure in connivance with my new strategic partners to force Pakistan to freeze its nuclear and missile programme forthwith; and subsequently roll back and surrender its so-called deterrence capability to IAEA and other international guarantors. That shall take BL’s teeth and the bite capability away, thus paving the way for fulfilment of my ultimate dream of Greater India (Akhand Bharat) and check-mating China in the Eurasian Region; besides, attainment of my raised stakes in Indo-Pacific region….thus accomplishment of a long cherished global superpower status. I must continue to play a role in aggravating Pakistan's water, food, energy and export/ import problems and incentivize opening trade and passage through routes with FL unconditionally. The role of IMF, World Bank and FATF shall continue to serve my and other allies’ interest making economic strangulation suffocating enough to absolute capitulation by the BL. BL’s claims to be an agriculture based economy to be destroyed by raising the power tariffs and water crisis and undermine its industrial growth by non-competitive prices due to high cost of energy. The unemployment so created shall ensure brain drain and my much desired unrest in the BL society.
As for the Military Front, so far Pakistan Armed Forces being the BL’s Center of Gravity shall remain my main target for tarnishing its image nationally and internationally. The current environment in BL is considered most conducive for further exploiting the gulf created between the people and the Army in the last one year. I must provide fullest support to all the covert proxies and insurgents /terrorists outfits launched from within as well as from three different directions to increase chaos in the BL and keep its Armed Forces particularly employed on the internal and Western fronts with focus on driving away the foreign investments and retard all CPEC/ BRI projects in BL. I must also enhance support to the sub-nationalist elements in the political arena to ensure that no bill contrary to my interest gets easily passed from the floor of the parliament and the Army remains the main target of blame game by invested elements. My covert schemes must ensure keeping BL Armed Forces and its leadership involved in controversies and scandals to lower its image and morale. I must put in place effective international measures to ensure that BL is incapable of meaningfully improving its conventional or unconventional military capabilities. To spoil BL’s relations with neighbouring countries, RAW must endure consistent and innovative measures.
On the socio-psycho and cultural side, I must further add to my cultural and media onslaught to undermine BL’s pride in religious, cultural, social and historical values. My films and dramas’ effects on the BL’s society have got a force multiplier in the shape of the internet and other social media platforms for magical results for psychological disarming of the people. I am comfortable with my disinformation and 5th generation warfare launched in collaboration with other like minded states, which is giving flawless results to cause further fissures in the BL and sullying its image internationally. The indiscernible cultural invasion launched since the 1970s has been a great success as BL’s response has found to be too meek and most of its TV channels and even fewer movies produced in fact promote our values and culture making it an already won front. Resultantly, national icons in BL are now singers, dancers, actors and musicians instead of universally accepted tall figures in the field of science, technology, literature, humanitarian workers, honest political and unblemished military leaders, scholars and great sportsmen. Overall, the state of affairs in BL is a win-win situation for me more due to the consistent follies committed by the BL leadership rather than by my efforts. Unless and until some miracle happens and BL gets a competent and honest leadership to steer it out of politico-economic and security chaos, which I must not allow to happen in collaboration with my strategic allies, my desired end state appears quite achievable.
Tailpiece: If some thinking minds feel that what has been stated above about FL’s plans against BL has already happened and is still happening unabated, it begs the question as to why the institutions and the retired and serving privileged genius operating therein, responsible to safeguard the national interest have allowed it to happen? Are we hoping that some aliens will come and bell the cat for us? Surely, had the culprits responsible for the most tragic dismemberment of Pakistan in 1971 been put under severe trial and punished, the current scenario would not have happened. As of now, the institutions always claiming to be the pillars of the state are facing a similar dilemma once again and the time is slipping from our fists like sand. There is a lot to do if we have to put the rail back on the tracks. The time is now or God forbid, we may not be left with much to regret. Pakistan Zindabad.
Friday, 16 December 2022