Release of Pakistan Watch

IPF    13-Jun-2016
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June 13, 2016, Constitution Club, New Delhi
 
Chief Guest: Sh. Dattatreya Hosabale, Sah Sarkaryawah, RSS
Guest of Honour: Dr. Manmohan Vaidya, Akhil Bhartiya Prachar Pramukh, RSS
Chair: Maj. Gen (Dr.) GD Bakshi, SM, VSM (retd)
Speakers: Sh. Vivek Katju, Former Diplomat & Thinker
Sh. Ajay Kumar, Senior Executive Editor, News Nation
 
  
Describing Pakistan not as a state bust as a state of mind, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sah-Sarkaryawah Dattatreya Hosabale said that lack of freedom of expression no culture could evolve in Pakistan since it came into existence.
 
Hosabale was speaking after releasing a quarterly journal “Pakistan Watch” launched by India Policy Foundation here.
 
RSS Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh Dr Manmohan Vaidya along with defence expert Major Gen (RTD) G D Bakshi, IPF chairman Dr Rakesh Sinha was also present on the occasion.
 

 
 
Hosabale said that India’s worry is that Pakistan is its neighbour. Not a single day passes off without any anti-India activity from Pakistan. Within 24 hours of launching the Lahore Bus Service, there was a strong reaction from them. Last year in response to our Prime Minister’s friendship gesture, the Pathankot attack took place.
 
He said that there was nothing wrong in taking efforts to improve bilateral relations, per se,but it should also be noted how far the other party is interested in such efforts.
 
Hosabale said that the real problem was an anti-India and anti-Hindu mindset of Pakistan. The state which was formed on the basis of hatred and antagonism could not develop itself into a nation. Even after so many years Pakistan today lacks in nation-feeling, cultural integrity and nationalism.
 

 
 
Pakistan has failed to create institutions that would have strengthened its economy. But they have nothing tangible to their record in manufacturing sector except terrorists. This is responsible for the negative image of Pakistan in the global community, the RSS leader explained.
 
Whenever a comparison is made between India and Pakistan, the huge gap between the geographical area and resources is often cited as main restraints. But after the World War II, many countries like Pakistan became independent. Today, many of them have progressed and have surpassed Pakistan in many areas.
 
Pakistan itself is responsible for its backwardness. They have not taken strides in the right direction; Hosabale said adding that the clergy and military frame the policies and take decisions instead of elected public representatives. This is mainly responsible for their anti-India and anti-Hindu policies which are essentially negative in nature. But they see things only through such negative lenses, he added.
 
However, Hosabale still preferred talks and dialogues with Pakistan. He said that we can’t behave like other countries of the world behave. We are related to Pakistan by geography, civilisation, and culture. India never became a theocratic state but Pakistan was created on religious basis and thus, lost the cultural ties with us.
 
 
He said that they have rejected their cultural heritage; they know their civilisation and culture but could not bring them in their behaviour because of the lack of freedom of expression. This is their main problem, he added. Best wishes from some people in India would not help Pakistan to overcome their problems. They can do so by adopting positive, constructive thoughts and actions.
 
Honorary Director of IPF Prof Rakesh Sinha said that Pakistan is a ‘nation-less’ state. It came into existence as an experiment and continues to be so even today. It is the responsibility of India to keep a watch on the developments taking place there. With this view, the quarterly journal ‘Pakistan Watch’ is being launched by the IPF. Each issue of the journal would contain historical documents related to Pakistan.
 

 
 
The inaugural issue of the journal carries historical resignation of J N Mandal, the former member of Pakistan constituent Assembly and Minister. He resigned following the suppression of Hindus in Pakistan. The issue also has an article on Pak policy on counter-terrorism, Tehrik-e-Taliban and Minority in Pakistan.
 
Ajay Kumar said that we can change our friends but not the neighbours. Therefore, we need to be extra careful about them. To encourage anti-India sentiments was the political compulsion of the leaders of Pakistan. We must frame our policies towards Pakistan considering this reality.
 
In the past couple of years, India has improved its ties with Iran which once upon a time had good relations with Pakistan. India will have to deal with Pakistan which has become a global problem in the most diplomatic way.
 
Former ambassador Vivek Katju said that with the Ebatabad attack in 2011 the USA has also come to know the real character of Pakistan. That is why it has refused to give F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan. The leaders in Pakistan frame their policies considering India as their perpetual enemy. We too, frame our responses to them keeping this fact in mind, Katju said. He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not allowing Pak delegation to meet Hurriyat leaders in India.
 
Major Gen (Retd.) G D Bakshi said that Pakistan understood only the military might and Indian Army is well aware of this. Today the friendship between Pakistan and China is disturbing while the USA is distancing itself from Pakistan. India must take advantage of this situation. He said that the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been pushed to backstage and Army has taken over in Pakistan. In such a situation India must think twice before entering into dialogue with our neighbour.
 
Recalling that the real peace with Pakistan existed for nine years post 1971 victory when the Indian Army compelled the Pakistani troops to surrender, Maj. Gen Bakshi said that they could not muster the courage to challenge India for nine years.
 
Senior journalist and compiler and translator of another fortnightly of IPF “Urdu Press ki Sameeksha” Manmohan Sharma was felicitated on this occasion at the hands of RSS Prachar Pramukh Dr Manmohan Vaidya.