Mumbai: In the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, Lieutenant Colonel Dr. Gopal Chaturvedi on Thursday called for strong measures against Pakistan, including a permanent resolution of the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) issue and sealing of the border, asserting that the neighbouring country “does not deserve any mercy.”
Talking to IANS, Lt. Col. Chaturvedi said, “The harsh diplomatic measures, including those taken by the CCS on Wednesday night, announced against Islamabad should have been taken much earlier… They don’t deserve any mercy, decency or soft corner.”
“Now Pakistan will understand that the help that India, due to a soft corner, used to give to it on humanitarian grounds will stop,” he said, adding that the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, 1960 will hit their economy hard and virtually cripple it.
Lt. Col. Chaturvedi said Indus water is critical not only for Pakistan’s needs, but also for irrigation and industrial use.
“It was only on humanitarian grounds that India had been giving Indus waters to Pakistan even after fighting several wars with it,” he said.
On people-to-people relations, he said, “There are many people who are from India, but their relatives are in Pakistan. There are many people in Pakistan whose relatives are in India. They wanted to meet each other and that shall stop now. The atmosphere of love that was being created will end.”
Lt. Col. Chaturvedi said the terror attack, which left 26 tourists dead, is an outcome of Pakistan’s discomfort over the improved environment in Kashmir — both politically and economically.
“Whenever there is internal disturbance in Pakistan, the neighbouring country, along with some forces in India that believe in spreading hatred, execute such dastardly acts,” he said, highlighting how the situation in the Valley was improving under an elected government.
He said Kashmir was witnessing a boom in tourism and people were feeling upbeat. “It may take many years to revive public confidence… this attack’s impact may also be felt on the upcoming Amarnath Yatra and the Valley’s economy may take a hit due to this terror attack,” he said.
Lt. Col. Chaturvedi also welcomed New Delhi’s decision to downsize diplomatic linkages with Pakistan.
“What is the need to have a Pakistani High Commission in India?” he asked, “Either you can be a friend or a foe, why is politics being done on the issue?”
“The matter should be settled once and for all. Dialogue has failed to improve things since 1947,” he said, calling for the strictest of action by India against Pakistan.
He said the High Commission is used for sending information about India… and Pakistan sends its spies through the High Commission. “The best solution is to shut it down,” he said.
(IANS)
