Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government attempted to change the narrative around Pakistan’s support to terrorism last weekend but the effort to build a case against India has continued for more than a year.
In line with the efforts recently Moeed W Yusuf, Imran Khan’s special assistant on National Security Division and Strategic Policy Planning, switched gears and started building the ground for a public campaign in October when he accused India of perpetrating terrorism in Pakistan.
Yusuf complained about India’s “one-sided narrative” against Pakistan and hinted that Islamabad would launch a counter-narrative.
The ‘dossier’ unveiled at a Press conference by foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and he military spokesperson Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar in Islamabad was Moeed Yusuf’s first step to make an attempt to change the narrative feel Intenrational Political observers
Pakisthan move coincides with the election of the Joe Biden administration in the United States.
An Indian external affairs official who wished to be anonymous said Pakistan timed the dossier to persuade the in-coming administration that it needs to play a more even-handed role in the region and force India to desist from taking any aggressive action against Pakistani adventurism and export of terrorism.
This move also targets Narendra modi friendly relationship opposition leaders such as Nawaz Sharif who have been accused of being soft on India and wanting to normalise relations with India.
A counter-terror official said the attempt to put the spotlight on India comes at a time Imran Khan is under tremendous pressure from a resurgent opposition, and economic distress, continuing drift in governance and an economy drowning in debt.
Desperate to get the opposition to call off their anti-regime programme, the government has resorted to the time-tested India bogey. Moeed Yusuf did tacitly admit that the government wants the opposition to understand the sensitivity of the matter and not politicise things to a point that India can take advantage.
