Since its birth in 1947, Pakistan has been exporting terror to India. However, the recent Pakistan-backed terrorist attack at Pahalgam is unlike anything seen before. The sheer ruthlessness of the act and the post attack message raises a disturbing question:

Was this a deliberate “two birds with one stone” strategy by Pakistan’s Military Establishment?

First, to revive its dwindling popularity among Pakistan’s citizens.

Second, to instil the idea among Indian Muslims that they are “Muslim first” and “Indian second” — thus planting seeds for long-term radicalisation within India.

It’s a simple, yet dangerous game. When the Pakistan Army feels its grip weakening at home, it invokes the ultimate bogeyman — India. “India is coming to destroy us! We the Army will save you.” 

This tactic is not new. Around 2007, amid growing resentment against the Army, a popular phrase emerged in Pakistan:

“Yeh Jo dehshat gardi hai iske peeche wardi hai.” (Behind this destruction lies the uniform.)

General Musharraf himself faced two assassination attempts when anger against the military hit boiling point. The solution?

Simple — provoke India, trigger a reaction, and pose as Pakistan’s brave defenders.

Thus, as Musharraf’s popularity plummeted, Indians suffered the horrors of 26/11.

The farce was on full display when despite India choosing not to retaliate Pakistan’s Air Force scrambled jets across its own cities instead of flying on the Indian border, clearly indicating it wanted to create panic among its own citizens, simulating a war-like atmosphere. It was theatre, carefully staged.

The same pattern repeated after Imran Khan’s controversial 2018 election — widely seen as rigged with the Army’s backing.

With public anger mounting again, India suffered Pulwama.

Speaking on India Today TV defence expert Colonel Rohit Dev (Retd.) said “Pakistani General Munir and his men are marked in all of Pakistan’s four provinces. While Baloch rebels are running over them in Balochistan, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan are attacking at will in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. In Sindh, a canal project has brought the people on the streets, and in Punjab, people are furious over the jailing of former PM Imran Khan. General Munir can’t even take a train through parts of Pakistan without getting hit and bombed. That is why he has decided to play the Kashmir card.”

But the Pakistan Army’s game runs deeper.

It isn’t just about portraying India as a threat — it’s about entrenching hatred.

Nothing achieves this like religious bigotry.

Just weeks ago, Pakistan’s Army Chief, General Asim Munir, openly told Pakistanis to teach their children about the “stark differences between Hindus and Muslims” — as justification for Pakistan’s creation.

“Our religion, customs, traditions, thoughts, and ambitions are different,” Munir said.

The message was clear: No friendship with a Hindu-majority India. Ever.

Yes, Pakistani army needs India as the Enemy for their relevance. And as long as Pakistan army wants to rule Pakistan, as long as Pakistan remains a quasi-democracy, India will always have trouble.

Even if India were to hand over Kashmir tomorrow, Pakistan would invent another grievance — perhaps “saving Indian Muslims” — to justify its terrorism. Like they did post-Pahalgam attack. 

After the Pahalgam attack, Pakistan predictably denied involvement and blamed India government instead — citing “systemic persecution of minorities, particularly Muslims,” the “abrogation of statehood,” and even the “forced passage of the Waqf Bill” for the “home grown” attacks!

Wah! Ironic coming from a country where minority population which was 23% in 1947 today is at 3-4% of the population!

Hell even minority Muslim sects are unsafe in Pakistan. According to Human Rights Watch, thousands of Shia Muslims were killed between 2008 and 2014 at the hands of Salafi extremists.

If Pakistan is so worried about persecution of Muslims in India why don’t they invite them to Pakistan and guarantee safety, security and prosperity which Pakistan feels they don’t have in India? 

They won’t because they don’t actually care for Indian Muslims — they see them as pawns, weapons of destabilisation. Indian Muslims who migrated to Pakistan after Partition — the Mohajirs — have faced decades of discrimination. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s government openly suppressed their language (Urdu) and  curtailed their political influence.

Pakistan should not confuse India’s internal political vote bank politics to lack of patriotism among India’s minorities.

Unfortunately, Indians often remember their common identity only after a terror attack.

Otherwise, we are first Hindu or Muslim, then Kannadiga, then South Indian and then finally Indian.

The British deployed ‘divide and rule’ to great effect. Pakistan is simply trying to do the same today.

If we are serious about securing our future, there is only one way forward: Be Indian first.

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