Pakistan’s stance over India and Canada’s rising diplomatic tensions
In recent developments, Pakistan has expressed its concern over the Western world’s stance on India’s right-wing leadership, particularly in light of Canada’s recent allegations of Indian involvement in a murder case. The situation escalated when Canada expelled a representative of the Indian spy agency, prompting a reciprocal action from India.
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar highlighted the connection between this incident and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist ideology, known as Hindutva.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed that Indian agents were involved in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh separatist, near Vancouver in June.
Trudeau asserted that there are “credible allegations of a potential link” between Nijjar’s murder and Indian government agents. However, India strongly refuted these allegations, terming them “absurd and motivated.”
PM Kakar addressed these concerns during a speech at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, where he was participating in the UN General Assembly. He pointed out that Hindutva ideologues are gaining confidence and influence, extending their reach beyond the Indian subcontinent. The tragic killing of Mr. Singh on Canadian soil, according to Kakar, reflects this concerning trend.
Despite these issues, many Western countries have chosen to downplay or ignore these realities due to economic and strategic interests. Kakar emphasized that the growing wave of Hindutva-inspired anti-Muslim extremism in India should be a matter of deep concern for the international community, including the United States.
For years, Western powers, led by the United States, have sought to strengthen ties with India, viewing it as a natural ally in the face of increasing concerns about China. However, Prime Minister Modi has come under scrutiny for promoting the identity of India’s Hindu majority, with human rights groups accusing him of creating a hostile environment for religious minorities, including Muslims, Christians, and Sikhs.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, wanted by India for alleged terrorism and conspiracy to commit murder, advocated for the creation of a separate Sikh state known as Khalistan. India has long claimed that Pakistan has provided support to the Khalistan movement, which conducted an insurgency in the 1980s that was eventually quashed by Indian security forces.
Prime Minister Kakar also urged the U.S. administration to encourage the Indian government to address the Kashmir dispute in an amicable manner, in line with the wishes of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
He emphasized that lasting stability in South Asia depends on resolving this longstanding issue and called for reciprocal sincerity from the Indian government.
In conclusion, Pakistan’s concerns over India’s Hindutva ideology and the recent diplomatic tensions with Canada highlight the complexities of the region’s political landscape. These issues not only have implications for regional stability but also impact international relations, particularly in the context of Western countries seeking closer ties with India.
