‘Indian hegemonic approach has hindered Pakistan’s relations with South Asian States’

ISLAMABAD ( WNAM REPORT): ‘Pakistan is a holy land for Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists alike. The holy book of Hindus, Rigveda was revealed and composed in Pakistani Punjab. The epic Mahabharata was recited for the first time in Taxila, Pakistan. For Sikhs, Pakistan is a holy land as it is the birth and death place of their Guru. For Buddhists, their Guru, Padma Sambhava, a god in Buddhism was born in Swat. Therefore, Pakistan is equally sacred for all the major religions of South Asia and beyond.’
These were the views expressed by Ambassador Afrasiab Mehdi Hashmi, former High Commissioner to Bangladesh and Deputy High Commissioner to India, during his talk at the Institute of Regional Studies, Islamabad.
Amb Hashmi regretted that India’s hegemonic and interventionist approach to its neighbors has hindered Pakistan’s relations with South Asian states. He said that Hindu pandits view their neighboring countries with a sense of ownership, noting that India’s worldview, including its life, religion, and ideology, is rooted in Hindu secularism, shaped by Hindu values and systems.
Ambassador Hashmi noted that while Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives are perceived as independent sovereign states, India has consistently exerted influence and pressure on them. For instance, in Bhutan, India stationed a full corps of its army, commanded by a lieutenant general, despite Bhutan’s UN membership. Similarly, Nepal, a predominantly Hindu nation, is influenced by India’s stance that Buddha was born there. Ambassador Afrasiab added that in the late 1980s, India faced accusations of trying to overthrow the Maldives government. He also highlighted the Tamil ethnic connections between South India and Sri Lanka.
Ambassador Afrasiab highlighted that while India culturally influences Bangladesh, religion connects it more closely to Pakistan. He noted India’s support during the 1971 conflict and the subsequent narrative of 90,000 Pakistani soldiers surrendering, though the actual number was only 34,000, as stated by General Niazi and referenced by Sharmila Bose, he asserted.
‘Unfortunately, Indian intelligence undermined Bangladesh’s intellectual foundations by destroying literature related to the independence movement and key figures like Mr. Jinnah, severing the new generation’s ties to Pakistan’, he stressed.
While remarking on India’s belief that ‘Pakistan is inconsequential to India,’ he stated that this perspective contradicts the reality that 80 percent of India’s armed troops are stationed near the western border rather than focussing on China.
Ambassador Hashmi stated that the RSS under Modi believes in Akhand Bharat, which was a lost glory as the partition of India took away the spirit of Hindu pride when the Indus Valley was transferred to Pakistan, he added.