By Matthias Samuel
The soft power of media is actually becoming hard power since various social media platforms have been introduced.
Some countries are taking maximum advantage of media to design hybrid wars and of course India is leading in this field to destabilize its neighbours. Bangladesh, China, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka are prime targets of Indian propaganda to exploit the social and political faultlines of these countries. Every country on earth has certain social and political faultlines and it is an enemy to decide how to strike such faultlines?
India has hired a big brigade of writers, television presenters, historians, academia, and social orators to strike enemies and of course, Pakistan is a usual target. One can understand how do Indian writers cook, hatch, and then launch fictitious information into so-called news—actually fake news if Pakistani researchers read stuff floated by members of the Indian fake news brigade.
Since India understands that the Pakistan army is the core institution and an entity in Pakistan that is giving sleepless nights to all enemies, be it domestic, regional or extra-regional; therefore, the prime target of Indian propaganda is Pakistan army and its allied institutions. Alas, Pakistan still lacks this art and still not exploiting situations within India although Indian independent writers and human rights watchers are raising alarms that Indian army is in collusion with many domestic players and is damaging the national institutions of India.
The Indian propaganda campaigns against Pakistan army are intensifying for the last three years but Pakistan army refuses to be cowed down and is contesting them on each front, be it ideological, cognitive conceptual or kinetic. All efforts of hostile states have been well thwarted by the resolve to defend the nation by Pakistan army even on the foreign policy front through military diplomacy.
The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the flagship of Pak-China friendship and the future of Pakistan therefore it is a prime target on the Indian propaganda campaigns. The CPEC is pinching India the most, as it has allowed Pakistan the freedom of progression, it cements ties with China and it will propel Pakistan to a position of unique leverage in the region.
The Indian policy of isolating Pakistan has miserably failed as the CPEC has forced the regional and international state to woo Pakistan.
The recent Indo-China conflict has put India in a precarious situation coupled with out of control COVID-19 and nose-diving economy. India desperately needs a diversion for her masses.
There are strong indicators that the recent controversy of the CPEC Chairman and Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Information Lt General (retd) Asim Bajwa was hatched by Indian Intelligence Agency —RAW and implemented by certain local elements while sitting abroad. The reasons of targeting Lt General Asim Bajwa are multi-dimensional and are shrouded in mal-intent. It puts Pakistan army is spotlight, attempts to portray the CPEC a cash cow for corruption and to dent confidence that the nation has over armed forces.
The Pakistani government has set procedures and benefits for each rank/ appointment that covers the spectrum of military and civil bureaucracy alike.
Any officer if enjoys better wealth is not necessarily a result of official misdealing.
India with a defense budget of approximately 70 $ billion has performed poorly against Pakistan army in February 2019 and more recently against China. This has added to the frustration and anger of military leadership who also desire to find a relevant distraction.
While in Pakistan, armed forces are serving the nation during natural calamities, elections, surveys, construction projects, various national level companies, etc. On the other hand, the Indian army remains a white elephant.
After a very logical explanation and clarity by the senior officers which effectively refutes all the claims, the controversy must be sidelined.
The history provides enough proof of India’s involvement in Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan overtly and covertly. Pakistan is no exception.
