First it runs to Saudi Arabia, whose Crown Prince, MBS, the CIA say ordered the murder of the American resident journalist Khashoggi. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir they would "try to de-escalate tensions between the two countries, neighbouring countries, and to see if there is a path forward to resolving those differences peacefully".
How did that work out? Well India took the Israeli route – bombing terrorists over the border using fighter jets in your own airspace. Unsurprisingly Saudi Arabia is not known to be a peacekeeper, given their current ongoing bombing and killing of women and children in Yemen, murder of a journalist, and the blockade of their neighbouring American ally Qatar who are themselves the home of the largest US military base in the region used to fight ISIS terrorists in Syria. Pakistan’s response – they gave MBS their country’s highest honour – ‘the Order of Pakistan’. Clearly these friends support each other’s views on terrorism.
Pakistan also ran to the UN, as they always do as they believe in Indian weakness for international law. It’s ironic they beseeched the UN, given UN resolution 47 adopted in 1948, with which Pakistan is still non-compliant, states “The Government of Pakistan should undertake to use its best endeavours:
(a) To secure the withdrawal from the State of Jammu and Kashmir of tribesmen and Pakistani nationals not normally resident therein who have entered the State for the purpose of fighting, and to prevent any intrusion into the State of such elements and any furnishing of material aid to those fighting in the State;
(b) To make known to all concerned that the measures indicated in this and the following paragraphs provide full freedom to all subjects of the State, regardless of creed, caste or party, to express their views and to vote on the question of the accession of the State, and that therefore they should co-operate in the maintenance of peace and order.”
Even in 1948 – the UN, the world knew, of Pakistan’s approach, send in terrorists to fight.
And let me reiterate why Pakistan is a State sponsor of terrorism. From my days working in the US Congress for Hon Eliot Engel, who tried with other members of the US Congress, House of Representatives and Senate to have Pakistan declared a terrorist State, I have seen first hand the concern of American law makers with the highest security intelligence at their disposal. I was shown documents in which Pakistan boasted of having a nuclear bomb. This was back in 1994. I was shown documents disclosing the terrorist groups operating out of Pakistan. This is why so many US Congressmen and women wanted Pakistan declared a terrorist State.
And by the way, the Indian Government had a zero spend on political lobbying back then. This was all led by US intelligence on Pakistan. The Clinton White House resisted the declaration, not least because of arms sales to Pakistan and the jobs that would be lost.
Pakistan is a State sponsor of terror; when your friends think you’re evil, you really ought to pay attention. When the UN and so the world’s representative says it, there is no point saying ‘nothing to see, move on, move on’.
Alpesh Patel
Asian Voice Newspaper
Political Animal 