Amidst PM's Fierce Speech Against Pak Terror, Sharif Says That India-Pak Talks Are Due In Saudi Arabia
By Sushil Kutty
Nobody can beat the Prime Minister in breathing fire at adversaries. Especially, when his ire is directed at Pakistan. The Pakistanis, they can be irritating, damn! But Pakistani newspapers would have spent much of May 22 reworking their scripts after Prime Minister Modi went all out against the Pak Army and the Pakistan government, Pakistanis in general.
Modi does not like Pakistan. And Pakistanis do not like Modi. The lack of a fan club is mutual. Modi is lucky he returned home to New Delhi after he took that detour to Lahore. By the skin of his teeth, said one of those grammarly sorts. 'You never know.' But then, IAF officer Abhinandan was 'returned'.
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PM Modi was in Bikaner Thursday, not far from the International Border and not too far from the Rahim Yar Khan airbase in Pakistan, which Modi said 'is in the ICU' following India's airstrikes at Pakistan's airbases. At one point in his fiery address, Modi spoke of 'Sindoor turns into barood', clearly not in a mood to give quarter to Pakistan.
India's 'swift response brought Pakistan to its knees,' Modi said. Absolutely, but who will convince Pakistan, which continues to assert that Pakistan won the 'War' and Pakistan won fair and square.
Pakistan is immune to India's precision strikes. Pakistan has refused to accept Modi's 'new normal' set for Pakistan: One more terror attack and it will be an all-out war, forget the diplomatic nuances!
Bikaner was in the crosshairs of Pakistan's Turkiye and Chinese drones from May 7 to 9. 'After the airstrike, I came to Churu and said, 'I swear on this soil, I will not let my country be destroyed, I will not let my country bow down'. Today, from the soil of Rajasthan, I want to tell the countrymen, those who had set out to wipe off the vermilion have been reduced to dust.
'Those who were proud of their weapons are buried under a pile of rubble today…we destroyed 9 major terrorist hideouts in just 22 minutes… The enemies of the nation and the world have now seen what happens when vermilion turns into gunpowder.'
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Pakistan can never win in a direct one-on-one fight with India. 'Therefore, it uses terrorism as a weapon. Pakistan spread terrorism, killed innocent people, and created an environment of terror…'
But, said Modi, going to third-person for emphasis, 'Now the servant of Mother India, Modi is standing here with pride. Modi's mind is cold, but his blood is hot. In Modi's veins, not blood, but hot Sindoor runs!'
With that said and the air turning hot like Modi's blood, Modi went on to breathe fire at Pakistan: 'If Pakistan continues to export terrorists, it will be left begging for every penny. Pakistan will not get a single drop of water…This is India's resolve, and no power in the world can deter us from this commitment.'
Prime Minister Modi taunted and threatened Pakistan with the worst- 'No trade, no talks with Pakistan and if talks take place, they will focus on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.' So much for Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's confidence that 'talks will be held in Saudi Arabia.'
If PM Modi's big message goes home, into the quivering hearts of Pakistanis, Pakistan's newspapers would be more cautious when referring to Modi as sharing Hitler's mantle along with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Modi in Bikaner made it plain that there wouldn't be 'any talks' but Shehbaz Sharif says Saudi Arabia would be 'neutral venue' for India-Pakistan talks on critical issues including Kashmir. Somebody should tell Shehbaz Sharif high expectations can kill!
Pakistan's situation right now is serious like cancer! Pakistan's newly anointed Field Marshal believes United States President Donald Trump will walk the talk and Shehbaz is also banking on President Trump.
But Modi says 'no power on earth', which leaves Trump out in the cold. And Pakistan is not helping by charging India with the terrorist attack on a school bus in Balochistan. A defence expert of Pakistan asked, 'India attacked after Pahalgam, what will Pakistan do now, nothing?'
The defence expert, who fancies his word carries weight in Pakistan, says India has set its 'new normal', but Pakistan will not, almost apologetic but resigned to Pakistan's 'new normal'.
That being said, not everybody in Pakistan is a dove. Not after Gen. Asim Munir became a '5-star Field Marshal'. One report says Pakistan promoted Gen. Munir to Field Marshal after he led a team of Pak Army officers and soldiers '50 km into Indian Occupied Kashmir during the recent war.'
Shehbaz Sharif says he consulted Nawaz Sharif before Gen. Munir was 'promoted.' Pakistan blames India for the Balochistan school bus attack and still expects India to hold talks with it at a neutral venue.
Pakistan says Prime Minister Modi is 'Hitler' but Pakistan is looking forward to holding talks with India confident that Bilawal Bhutto will beat Shashi Tharoor in diplomacy.
Pakistan says 'defeat' has left India powerless and weak. Also isolated! 'To its chagrin, India finds itself isolated…PM Modi extended his battlefront into international waters. His military prowess having been tested and found wanting, he has fallen back on a cheaper war — diplomacy… Some have opted out of his jamboree, but not the publicity ravenous Congressman Shashi Tharoor.'
Shehbaz Sharif says 'Kashmir, water, trade and terrorism will figure in the talks with India. Shehbaz is 100% sure the talks will take place and that Pakistan's NSA will lead for Pakistan. Sharif is banking on President Donald Trump to ensure the dialogue takes place. (IPA Service)
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