Still, As a Common Indian, I Look For Peace, Progress and Pals with Pakistan

This post is long overdue, and I had kept it on waitlist for the dust to settle. Now that the dust is settled from the recent fallout between the countries following Pahalgam terror attack and subsequent operation Sindoor, I have decided to put these thoughts together for a greater south Asian neighborhood. More than 75 years ago, when the entire land mass of India and Pakistan is stitched together as one, why should there be division, why should there be enmity, why should there be perpetration of terrorism and why should there be wars. There are more sad questions, sad state of affairs and sad stories unfolding every day because of this deteriorating relationship between the two countries. If this generation doesn’t make progress with the health of this vital relationship, I am afraid what our future will look like. I had already written a detailed post few weeks back why there has to be course correction in India’s stand on its war on terror. I argued India should consider all peaceful pathways and not use force at any cost. I even questioned our internal policy on Kashmir and external outreach to Pakistan and why there should be a reset for the better. Throughout, I got India wrong on many fronts arguing it is getting tit-for-tat actions across without solving the deep-rooted problem. But this is just one side of the coin. The other big side of the coin is the story we will delve into in this post. This is about Pakistan, its state of affairs and the terrorism being perpetrated to disrupt India every now and then and why this needs to be corrected. Even after facing all the violence from the neighbor country patiently for the past many decades, India do not want to be Israel or America but still and very big still, looks for peace, progress and friendship with Pakistan. As still, the people of the neighbor country who appear different, work differently and have different outlooks are stars on earth that need to be transformed carefully.

We can accept terrorists do not fall from sky to create violence in India. They are not domestic or home-grown terrorists either. From March 2000 to mid-June 2025, India has recorded 24,416 civilian deaths, 14,527 security personnel deaths, and 7,588 terrorist deaths in terrorism-related incidents. While not every incident is directly attributed to Pakistan, Indian officials and analysts have long maintained that many of the most deadly attacks—especially in Jammu and Kashmir—were carried out by groups based in or supported from across the border. In just 25 years, nearly 50 thousand lost their lives in this needless and senseless violence from across the border. It is daily news to hear about this violence going on for ages, while India is on complete defensive all the while. No other big country will live with so much patience for very long time without taking decisive action against the perpetrators from across the border. I don’t know for how long, but India must be believing defense is the best form of attack imprinted in its DNA for hundreds of years. While this restraint is best, there will be limit. One such attack to test patience happened in Pahalgam in Kashmir few months back when terrorists killed adult male tourists in most horrible way in front of their wives and family. It is just an example and there are many. After the turn of century, India endured parliament attack in 2001, Mumbai attacks in 2008, Pathankot airbase attack in 2016, Pulwama suicide bombing in 2019 etc. For how long India can endure while the masterminds in Pakistan are plotting the next big attack. Do we need to live with constant cover, fear and security while giving away lives. The groups like LeT, JEM, TRF are sprouted in Pakistan spreading terror in India. The bottom line being it is truth in broad day light that Pakistan ideates, sponsors and pushes for terror on Indian soil. 

Not long ago, Pakistan won a cricket world cup in 1992 under the captaincy of a charismatic leader. The 1992 World Cup triumph represented Pakistan's capacity for inspired leadership and national unity. Imran Khan emerged not just as a cricket captain but as a symbol of what Pakistani leadership could achieve with vision, determination, and moral purpose. The cancer hospital he built with the World Cup proceeds became a tangible symbol of how Pakistan could channel its achievements toward progressive goals. During the 1990s and early 2000s, Pakistan showed flashes of this potential in various spheres. The country had a vibrant media landscape, a growing educated middle class, and periodic democratic transitions that suggested institutional maturation. The technological sector began emerging, and Pakistan's strategic location seemed to position it as a natural bridge between South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East. 

The contrast with today is stark and heartbreaking. The same country that produced the inspirational leadership of 1992 has now descended into a state that ranks second globally in terrorism, with a 45 percent surge in terror attacks and systematic state sponsorship of terrorist infrastructure. This represents one of the most dramatic national declines in modern history. The outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) carried out 482 attacks in 2024, which led to 558 deaths, with attacks doubling in the previous year coupled with a 90 percent increase in deaths. This is not merely a security challenge—it represents the complete inversion of the values that defined the nation. Where the country showed unity, discipline, and moral purpose, Pakistan's current trajectory shows fragmentation, lawlessness, and the abandonment of ethical governance. The same nation that built cancer hospitals with cricket winnings now builds terrorist training camps with state resources. 

The infrastructure of terror has become so entrenched that when India conducted Operation Sindoor targeting terrorist installations, Pakistan's military defended these facilities rather than cooperating with counter-terrorism efforts. This represents a fundamental transformation where terrorism has become indistinguishable from state policy. The economic dimension of Pakistan's decline is equally dramatic. Pakistan has doubled its national debt roughly every five years over the last 25-year period. The country has chosen a path of perpetual military spending and conflicts that drains resources from productive sectors. The economic crisis has become so severe that 2024 saw "violent attacks soar, political instability grow, and censorship deepen" even as the country struggles with basic fiscal management.  

The economic indicators tell a pathetic picture on the ground. With 70% debt-to-GDP ratio and 50-60% of government revenues going to debt servicing, Pakistan has little fiscal space for development or crisis response. The pattern of repeated and 24th IMF bailout indicates inability to achieve sustainable economic stability independently. Investment below historical averages suggests weak economic fundamentals and poor business confidence. The massive repayment schedule ($90bn over three years) indicates unsustainable borrowing patterns. Only default-stricken Sri Lanka, Ghana and Nigeria are worse off in terms of debt sustainability metrics, placing Pakistan among the world's most financially distressed nations. 

So long as Pakistan has bad wishes of a billion plus population by injuring and insulting India every now and then, what good does it do for itself. By treading the wrong path and justifying it with relative ease, the country did no good to anyone. We can call the country has turned into a rogue state fooling one and all and its own population. Pakistan's actions following Operation Sindoor reveal the characteristics of a rogue state that has abandoned any pretense of responsible governance. The response was not that of a legitimate government seeking to distance itself from terrorism, but rather that of a state whose very survival depends on maintaining terrorist proxies. No legitimate government deploys its military and engages nearly in a war to protect terrorists. Where in the world will we see this pattern of engaging in killings in one nation getting full state support in other. 

The Pakistani establishment has created what can only be described as a "terror ecosystem" where jihadist groups, military intelligence, and state resources work in seamless coordination. The Pahalgam attack was not an isolated incident carried out by rogue elements; it was part of a systematic campaign of terror orchestrated by a state apparatus that has lost any legitimate claim to sovereignty. As mentioned earlier, the country also suffers from domestic terrorism. 

The international community must recognize that Pakistan's economic struggles are not just the result of poor governance or external factors—they are the direct consequence of a state that has chosen terrorism over development, conflict over commerce, and military adventurism over economic progress. Rather than supporting this path laid out and the repeated misadventures it carries out, isn’t it time every other nation should condemn and provide support for transformation. If not you are working in tandem with Pakistan to encourage terror attacks on India. China, Turkey, Russia, US, Gulf and other nations which encourage Pakistan in present path needs to think twice. It is still a big puzzle how the international community can turn a blind eye to a country which provide safe harbor to terrorists for so long. As responsible bodies, we should stop the rogue state in making to encourage it to pursue a better route. 

We can look at why the transformation is important. In place of these dubious bad friends, the only good friend which really cares for a transformed Pakistan is India. It is highly necessary for Pakistan to maintain peace and friendly relations with India. Trade between the nations should prosper for the good of both the countries. Peace not terror and trade not terror should go hand in hand. For Pakistan, trade with India could help stabilize and boost its economy, while for India, Pakistan represents an enormous market of untapped potential. The numbers tell a stark story. Trade between India and Pakistan has been suspended for six years, despite sharing a 1,800-mile border and complementary economies. 

Consider the economic logic: India represents a $4 trillion economy literally next door to Pakistan. Geographic proximity typically reduces transportation costs, making trade naturally advantageous. Pakistan's textile industry could access massive Indian markets for raw materials and finished goods. Pakistani agricultural products could find ready consumers across the border. Indian technology and manufacturing expertise could accelerate Pakistan's industrial modernization. 

Peace with India would create millions of jobs in Pakistan through expanded trade, tourism, and investment. The services sector alone could flourish if Pakistani companies could access Indian markets. The current generation of young Pakistanis, less burdened by Partition-era trauma, could become the architects of a prosperous, peaceful South Asia. Ireland and Britain, despite centuries of conflict, eventually found peace through economic cooperation and political maturity. South Korea and Japan, despite historical grievances, developed crucial economic partnerships. Vietnam and the United States, Japan and US former enemies in a devastating war, now have strong commercial ties. These examples show that even the deepest hostilities can be overcome when both sides recognize the economic benefits of cooperation. Pakistan has everything to gain and little to lose from pursuing this path with India. 

The status quo of perpetual tension serves no one's interests except perhaps arms dealers and extremist groups on both sides who profit from conflict. For ordinary Pakistanis struggling with inflation, unemployment, and limited opportunities, peace with India offers the most promising path to prosperity. 

For Pakistan's sake, for the sake of its young population, and for the stability of South Asia, choosing peace is not just the moral imperative—it's the economic imperative. Pakistan should transform itself, stop perpetrating terrorism, decimate the terror ecosystem and work with India for peace, progress and prosperity. We can aim for stars and land on moon. Let us hope we are not over-expecting and make the star-catching and moon-landing possible. After all, we make great peaceful neighbors which is the biggest inheritance we can pass on to the future. We can do it for the sake of present day movement and the movement which will take us to that promised, hopeful state.