Will India and Pakistan go to war?

Tensions have been at peaks between India and Pakistan since July 9, a day after self-styled top militant Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter with security forces.

Updated: September 29, 2016 8:00 PM IST

By India.com News Desk

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प्रतीकात्मक तस्वीर

New Delhi, Sep 29: In a befitting reply to Pakistan, Indian Army on Thursday conducted surgical strike on terror launch pads across Line of Control. The decision to carry out surgical strike by Indian Army triggered sharp warnings from Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Will India and Pakistan really go to war after surgical strike by Indian Army? This question is being asked widely by common man and defence experts after Indian Army carried out surgical strike on Pakistan. The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) is vigilant and ready to combat any external aggression, a PAF spokesperson said in response to the surgical strike by Indian ArmyALSO READ: LIVE UPDATES on Surgical Strike by India across LOC, Pakistan threatens to wage nuclear war

Could India and Pakistan go to war? India and Pakistan, armed with nuclear weapons, have fought couple of war including two full-blown wars. The surgical strike by Indian Army on Pakistan will definitely escalate tension between India and Pakistan and may trigger a nuclear war. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif warned India that Pakistan’s “intent for peaceful neighbourhood should not be mistaken as our weakness”. Meanwhile, Indian government has called for all party meeting to discuss the strategy following surgical strike by Indian Army.

Tensions have been at a peak between India and Pakistan since July 9, a day after self-styled top militant Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter with security forces. Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif described Burhan Wani as a “martyr” while furious India countered saying that Kashmir has been on edge due to Pakistan’s interference in the country’s “internal matters”. The relations further soured after the September 18 attack in which four terrorists, suspectedly from across the border, attacked the India Army camp at Uri.

After Uri attack, India decided to isolate Pakistan on diplomatic level. Pakistan had to face major embarrassment after Afghanistan, Bhutan and Bangladesh joined India in boycotting the SAARC Summit scheduled to be hosted by Islamabad in November. Pakistan was on Wednesday virtually getting isolated in the region after four countries chose to skip SAARC summit blaming Pakistan for promoting cross-border terrorism in the region. Pakistan was already in anger after India boycotted SAARC, and today Indian Army rubbed salt into the wounds of Islamabad conducting surgical strike. Are India and Pakistan heading towards a full-blown war?

Inter Services Public Relations, the media arm of the Pakistan military, acknowledged the exchange of gunfire but denied the idea of surgical strikes. In a statement, it said: “There has been no surgical strike by India, instead there had been cross border fire initiated and conducted by India which is existential phenomenon. As per rules of engagement same was strongly and befittingly responded by Pakistani troops. The notion of surgical strike linked to alleged terrorists bases is an illusion being deliberately generated by Indian to create false effects. This quest by Indian establishment to create media hype by rebranding cross border fire as surgical strike is fabrication of truth.”

There is not much difference between India and Pakistan when it comes to number of nuclear weapons they have. According to data released by Sweden-based international thinktank, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Pakistan has more nuclear warheads than India. In 2014, India’s nuclear weapons count was between 90-110 while Pakistan was ahead at 100-120 nuclear warheads.

While India’s Nuclear Doctrine says India will use atomic weapons “in retaliation against a nuclear attack on Indian territory or on Indian forces anywhere”,  Pakistan has refused to adopt a “no-first-use” doctrine, indicating that it would strike India with nuclear weapons even if India did not use such weapons first.

Social media is flooded with comments and posts asking Indian government to wage a war against Pakistan, but let us share with you a poem of Urdu poet Sahir Ludhianvi, which might calm your aggression against Pakistan.

Jung to khud hi masla hai ek

Jung kya maslo ka hal degi

Aag aur khoon aaj bakhshogi

Bhook aur aihatiyaz kal degi

Isliye, Ae sharif insaano!

Jung talti rahe to behtar hai

Aap aur hum sabhi ke aangan main

Shama jalti rahe to behtar hai.

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