“It is a wise man who knows where courage ends and stupidity begins.”
-Jerome Caddy.
N. P. Upadhyaya (Aryal)
Kathmandu: It all happened within a fraction of a second. The jam-packed hall attending the Kathmandu-SAARC Summit inaugural session, January 04, 2002, were all taken aback as the event that happened in front of their eyes (this scribe is the eye witness who was invited to attend to the SAARC proceedings by the then Nepal government) was not only an incredible one but was almost startling omen as India-Pakistan ties were yet in a strained state as usual.
But the fact is that this event took place right here in Kathmandu and the entire world could see this remarkable incident through air as the entire happening went on air through the Idiot Box.
The attending guests or say the invitees that included, Nepal’s prominent leaders, media men, intellectuals from South Asian countries and some international observers had to pinch their own skin to ascertain as to what they saw for themselves in their front a second before was a fact or an illusion/phantasm?
Nope! It was neither an illusion nor a day dreaming exercise but a fact that had taken place just a second before which saw the attending heads of the governments of Pakistan and India shaking hands that instantly invited rounds and rounds of applause for several minutes.
The rounds of applause was a message to both India and Pakistan from the attending guests inside the Summit hall that a sizeable population in South Asia wish to see Pakistan-India strained ties come to an end and replaced by a sort of lasting peace in between the two rival nations that in the long run meant much for the prevalence of peace and tranquility in the entire South Asian region.
Needless to say, the prolonged Kashmir row then and also considered still as a potential flash-point which could bring in India and Pakistan face-to-face any time remains intact.
Unfortunately, the Kashmir dispute even as of today continues to remain as, a flash point, which could spark a violent skirmish in between the two ill-disposed nations forcing the entire South Asian region once again to witness the unimaginable.
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“As stated earlier, Kathmandu was the venue of the 11th SAARC Summit wherein the then South Asian leaders were already present inside the Summit hall. Let me interrupt you for a while which needs to be put on record for the knowledge of the entire South Asian population as to how the then Indian regime under the so called modest and soft spoken Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who in essence as cunning as one could find in the universe and specially hated Nepal to the extent that it was under him, the Nepal Maoists then residing in official Delhi’s shelter have had inked a “security” agreement, June 2002, with the Vajpayee government committing that the Nepal Maoists shall never ever harm the security interests of India but instead, will cause devastation in Nepal as preferred by India-the shelter provider and the designer of the Maoists movement in Nepal). Notably, it was this year when Vajpayee under the recommendation of his National Security Advisor, Shri Brajesh Mishra entertained the inking of the India’s security agreement with the Nepal Maoists residing then in New Delhi under the special care of Vajpayee’s administration –the RAW intelligence agency included. The educated vagabond Professor Sukh Deo Muni who claims himself to be a Nepal expert reportedly brought the Nepal Maoists leader, Prachanda and Dr. Babu Ram Bhattarai closer to the Indian administration. Some people in Nepal take Vajpayee as one of the finest Indian India ever has. He was not what is being said of him”
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________It is not that Pakistan never ever proposed India for making peace in between the two rival countries beginning the days of grand partition in 1947.
It is unfair to accuse Pakistan.
Yes for sure, Pakistan has advanced/proposed/appealed making of peace with rival nation India umpteen times in the past, however, Indian conceit and bogus ‘superiority complex’ doesn’t allow the entire Indian regime to accept the fact that from across the border peace-making efforts are being made and that India should look at it with positive gesture.
However, India each time forwards “conditions” even for prevalence of peace not only between the two competing nations but instead hurls , unfounded allegations a times that makes the world population to believe that India is the real peace maker and on the contrary Pakistan is the one which has disturbed peace in the entire South Asian landmass.
This is factually untrue. The fact is that it is the Indian media which has the mentality of “Good or bad…It is my India”. A wrong notion indeed.
It has been seen by matured and impartial International observers, including those from Nepal that since the Indian media is united and rock-solid in defending its nation, for good or even for bad, that net result that runs in the air makes Pakistan the victim of media propaganda.
The fact is that, let’s acknowledge, the Indian media become one and united as and when it comes to defend the country.
Comparatively, a seemingly fractured Pakistani media lags behind which is what gives the Indian media to prevail.
It applies in Nepal’s case as well. Most of the Nepali mediamen, we have been told, are in the regular payroll of the RAW machine or in the monthly pay-list of the Indian embassy who even, (the media men) wish to submit Nepal to the mercy of the Indian regime.
Others will feel elated if and when India guzzles Nepal and makes it the next Indian province after Sikkim.
The ongoing one time talkative personality, Durga Prasai’s “revolt” too is being castigated by the men most likely to have been funded by the RAW section of the Indian embassy in Kathmandu who see the “people’s revolt” as such called by Mr. Prasai as an effort to kill the India imposed Republican Order- an order that has benefitted Indian regime only as the movement of the year 2005/6 was solely and exclusively sponsored/funded/designed by India through the declared and well recognized “paid and posted” Indian pawns in Nepal.
Thus the Indian agents have reasons to panic if and when the ongoing “revolt” catapults the India’s overwhelming penetration in Nepali affairs.
Back to the main story:
As stated earlier, Kathmandu was the venue of the 11th SAARC Summit wherein the then South Asian leaders were already present inside the Summit hall.
Let me interrupt you for a while which needs to be put on record for the knowledge of the entire South Asian population as to how the then Indian regime under the so called modest and soft spoken Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who in essence as cunning as one could find in the universe and specially hated Nepal to the extent that it was under him, the Nepal Maoists then residing in official Delhi’s shelter have had inked a “security” agreement, June 2002, with the Vajpayee government committing that the Nepal Maoists shall never ever harm the security interests of India but instead, will cause devastation in Nepal as preferred by India-the shelter provider and the designer of the Maoists movement in Nepal).
Notably, it was this year when Vajpayee under the recommendation of his National Security Advisor, Shri Brajesh Mishra entertained the inking of the India’s security agreement with the Nepal Maoists residing then in New Delhi under the special care of Vajpayee’s administration –the RAW intelligence agency included.
The educated vagabond Professor Sukh Deo Muni who claims himself to be a Nepal expert reportedly brought the Nepal Maoists leader, Prachanda and Dr. Babu Ram Bhattarai closer to the Indian administration.
Some people in Nepal take Vajpayee as one of the finest Indian India ever has.
It is a false notion. Vajpayee was the cruelest man on earth who in effect damaged Nepal and brought the sovereign Himalayan Kingdom to this stage.
To cut it short, the Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf was not allowed “air-route” by the Vajpayee government for President Musharraf to come to Kathmandu to attend to the SAARC Summit.
This explains Vajpayee’s inner monster against Pakistan.
However, an equally intelligent Pakistani President Musharraf took a detour to Beijing and avoided Indian air space.
While in Beijing, President Musharraf confided briefly with Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji and told him why he have had to drop in China.
Vajpayee’s pseudo modest image got exposed to the hilt which was long overdue. He was not what he posed himself to be.
Had India been kind enough, Musharraf would have landed in Kathmandu from Islamabad just in three hours straight.
So this is how India was unkind towards Pakistan then which perhaps continues yet.
The political advantage is that India is being understood by the world population.
President Musharraf stole the SAARC show for sure.
The Pakistani President Musharraf said in his speech at the inaugural session of the SAARC Summit, as far as I recall him saying, that “The way forward is to make SAARC genuinely potent and through it sink differences, resolve disputes on the basis of sovereign equality. Let none amongst us consider himself more equal than others.”
Clearly, he was hinting at India wherein he subtly warned India not to conclude that she was more superior than other SAARC nations and that “India must not feel disturbed in discussing bilateral issues and allow the SAARC regional forum to discuss even bilateral issues.
The Pakistani refined hint was more than expected and that too at the SAARC platform.
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“Needless to say, if India-Pakistan bilateral ties are in good shape, the South Asian nations feel safer and, by the same token, the same strain free US-China bilateral ties not only ensures a peaceful world but also assures the world population that reconciliation has now replaced confrontation in between the two Super Powers that the US and China are by all measuring political standards.It would thus be a fitting tribute to President Musharraf (late) for having approached for “peace” with India.”
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Upon winding up his speech, President Musharraf, to everybody’s utter surprise and dismay, instead of heading to occupy his designated Chair in the podium after the concluding his speech, the Pakistani president headed straight to the podium and in no seconds he was seen face-to-face with Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. A great scene it was, I recall.
Gen Musharraf’s sudden appeal for peace with India and also regarding the functioning of Saarc appeared to have the silent support of everyone except India, and perhaps Bhutan.
Bhutan, needless to say, continues to remain as a “bonded” satellite of India.
Sensing the upcoming wrath from India, the Bhutanese King once again submitted himself to the mercy of India and went to Delhi to apologize (?) for what his Foreign Minister Tandi Dorje secretly went to Beijing and met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, October 23, 2023, in order to normalize its relations with China with a fervent desire to establish diplomatic ties with China that India so far hasn’t allowed Baby Bhutan.
Bhutan FM also assured China that his country sticks to the “one China policy” theory.
Scared of Indian wrath for having inched closer to Beijing, Bhutan King went to Delhi perhaps to “control the damage” and to assure India that he prefers to serve India as usual.
King must have apologized for his FM’s extra-adventure exhibited in Beijing.
Clearly, Bhutan is in India’s iron-grip.
Finding the rival Pakistani President Musarraf in his front, the Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee for a moment could not believe the occurrence and, as was visible for the common attending guests inside the hall, Vajpayee was somewhat nervous as well as the Indian Prime Minister even had not imagined that the rival President of Pakistan would rush towards him unannounced and extend the hand of “peace and friendship” with India.
Many eyes, including mine, in the Summit hall flattened/widened which was only but natural.
Pakistan created a history that day which may be debated by detractors of Pakistan-obviously India and the men posted and paid by Indian regime in Kathmandu.
As far as I recall, as Gen. Musharraf proceeded towards Vajpayee, the Indian leader, PM Vajpayee exhibited due courtesy as was demanded of the moment, got up from his “seat and extended his hands to him”. The round of applause that followed the clasp came close to deafening decibels and many in the media teams from India and Pakistan appeared to have lost their composure for a while to join the clapping.
A rare event, let’s call it a phenomenon, happened in the Nepali soil in Baneshwar.
This scribe too couldn’t help control the emotions and began clapping and may have clapped honoring the event for no less than two minutes or so.
My clapping had inner meaning as well.
First being the due praise for President Musharraf who went out of the diplomatic way and approached rival Prime Minister and proposed for peace and genuine friendship.
Secondly, in doing so, President Musharraf proved that Pakistan shall not lag behind on matters of building peace with India so that entire South Asian landscape is free from the dangers of India-Pakistan rivalry.
Indian propaganda is that Pakistan creates troubles for India. The reverse is true which applies to entire SA nations including the Maldives which has now a new President who intends to free his country from the Indian subjugation and penetration.
Maldives has a sizeable number of Indian military personnel in its soil.
A dumbfounded Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee stood from his seat and shook hands with the Pakistani President who had come to him impromptu but with a purpose which was for building peace and harmony with rival neighbor-India.
During his speech Vajpayee said, among other things, “I am glad that President Musharraf extended a hand of friendship to me. I have shaken his hand in your presence. Now President Musharraf must follow this gesture by not permitting any activity in Pakistan or any territory it controls today which enables terrorists to perpetrate mindless violence in India”.
The Indian Prime Minister at one time used the term “terrorists” and alleged that it was Pakistan that created troubles inside India.
However, the reverse is true.
An Indian diplomat on June 18, 2023, murdered one Canadian National-Hardeep Singh Nijjar which was backed by the Five Eyes Alliance-an intelligence alliance comprising of Five Countries.
That India is a terrorist state gets certified with the killing of Canadian national Nijjar.
And very freshly, a news that appeared in Financial Times/CBS news, November 23, 2023, states that “US officials have spoken with their counterparts in India about allegations that South Asian nation may have involved in a plot to assassinate a Sikh-Khalistan leader on the U.S. soil-the US national Security Council said in the recent days.
The plot targeted Gurpatwant Singh Pannum –a US-Canadian dual national designated a terrorist by Indian government.
Notably, the Financial Times reported the plot first, it is talked.
The FT, citing anonymous sources said “US authorities thwarted the murder conspiracy and issued a warning to India over concerns it was involved in the plot.”
This explains the India’s actual credentials clearly despite the Indian claims repeatedly made otherwise.
Who else knows India better than Nepal and Pakistan?
Having said all these, though India, as usual and as per its habits, expressed grievances against Pakistan but yet his overall expressions made inside the hall upon suddenly meeting Pakistani President gave the impression, by implication indeed, that the Indian Prime Minister appreciated President Musharraf’s timely utilization of the earth-shattering event for building peace with India.
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“Many eyes, including mine, in the Summit hall flattened/widened which was only but natural. Pakistan created a history that day which may be debated by detractors of Pakistan-obviously India and the men posted and paid by Indian regime in Kathmandu. As far as I recall, as Gen. Musharraf proceeded towards Vajpayee, the Indian leader, PM Vajpayee exhibited due courtesy as was demanded of the moment, got up from his “seat and extended his hands to him”. The round of applause that followed the clasp came close to deafening decibels and many in the media teams from India and Pakistan appeared to have lost their composure for a while to join the clapping. A rare event, let’s call it a phenomenon, happened in the Nepali soil in Baneshwar. This scribe too couldn’t help control the emotions and began clapping and may have clapped honoring the event for no less than two minutes or so. My clapping had inner meaning as well. First being the due praise for President Musharraf who went out of the diplomatic way and approached rival Prime Minister and proposed for peace and genuine friendship. Secondly, in doing so, President Musharraf proved that Pakistan shall not lag behind on matters of building peace with India so that entire South Asian landscape is free from the dangers of India-Pakistan rivalry. Indian propaganda is that Pakistan creates troubles for India. The reverse is true which applies to entire SA nations including the Maldives which has now a new President who intends to free his country from the Indian subjugation and penetration.”
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How I got inspiration to pen this story needs clarification:
Almost the same way as President Musharraf rushed towards Indian PM Vajpayee that eventful day, much the same way the US President Joe Biden too took the pains to proceed towards China’s President’s while the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in San Francisco was in progress.
The US President had rushed towards President Xi Jinping’s seat, as could be guessed, simply because to hint the world and China as well that the world is safe only when US and China reconcile and reject confrontation.
In rushing towards President Xi, Joe Biden may have in his mind to say sorry for having used the world “dictator” to President Xi.
In fact what transpired in between two Presidents is not known, however, yet what could be guessed from the restive Joe Biden’s unexpected gesture that the US side may have approached President Xi to assure him that henceforth US shall do all it can onwards to ease the strained US-China ties.
The US may have told China that “reconciliation is far better for the world peace than confrontation”.
If the Pakistani President Musharraf move on that fateful day in Kathmandu was for ensuring primarily the preservation of South Asian peace and an end to inimical bilateral ties with India for all time to come then President Biden’s intent may also have been the same.
Needless to say, if India-Pakistan bilateral ties are in good shape, the South Asian nations feel safer and, by the same token, the same strain free US-China bilateral ties not only ensures a peaceful world but also assures the world population that reconciliation has now replaced confrontation in between the two Super Powers that the US and China are by all measuring political standards.
It would thus be a fitting tribute to President Musharraf (late) for having approached for “peace” with India.
No less was the subtle hint given to the world by President Joe Biden when he too rushed to see President Xi during the APEC Meeting when it was in effect in progress.
Our salute to President Musharraf and US President Joe Biden for exhibiting desire to extend hands of cooperation with China.
The question now is: if and when China and USA reconcile then what the hell India do with its presence in the Quad security mechanism?
Clearly, India has joined the Quad only to compete with China. India sans the US blessings is equivalent to an elephant in South Asia and nothing more than that.
The new leadership in the Maldives is likely to challenge soon the Indian hegemony in South Asia. Nepal is also boiling against Indian hegemony.
That’s all.