Ravi Shankar Prasad Slams Pakistan's Military Leadership: Calls It “Undemocratic and Unaccountable”


Pakistan's Military Dominance Criticized

During a recent address in London, senior BJP leader and Member of Parliament Ravi Shankar Prasad made sharp remarks about Pakistan’s political and military structure, calling it an “unelectable and unaccountable military-led regime.” While addressing the Indian diaspora, Prasad highlighted that Pakistan is no longer a democratic country in practice, but rather one ruled by successive military interventions.

He specifically referred to Pakistan’s current Chief of Army Staff, General Asim Munir, saying, “Munir, who was defeated in the field, became a Field Marshal.” This was a direct reference to what Prasad sees as a legacy of self-appointed and politically intrusive generals in Pakistan, likening Munir’s promotion to that of previous military rulers like Ayub Khan, Zia-ul-Haq, and Pervez Musharraf.


History of Military Rule in Pakistan

Ravi Shankar Prasad traced Pakistan’s pattern of military dominance in governance, citing:

  • Field Marshal Ayub Khan, who ruled from 1958 to 1969 after leading a military coup.

  • General Yahya Khan (1969–71)

  • General Zia-ul-Haq (1977–1988)

  • General Pervez Musharraf (1999–2008)

Prasad argued that Pakistan’s military continues to function as an autonomous force that seizes power without electoral or democratic legitimacy.


Operation Sindoor: India's Military Response to Terrorism

Highlighting India’s recent counter-terror operation, Prasad revealed that the Indian Armed Forces launched “Operation Sindoor” on May 7, in response to the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir. The Pahalgam attack killed 26 people, including civilians identified and targeted based on religious identity.

According to Prasad, India retaliated with precision strikes at terrorist camps located in:

  • Bahawalpur

  • Muridke

  • Muzaffarabad

  • Other areas in Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK)

Prasad emphasized that these strikes were conducted during the night at 1:30 AM, lasted 20 minutes, and exclusively targeted terror infrastructure without causing any civilian casualties.


Targeted Elimination of Terrorists

Ravi Shankar Prasad stated that over 100 terrorists affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen were eliminated in the strikes. Among the key mentions were:

  • The terrorists involved in the hijacking to free Masood Azhar

  • Family members of Masood Azhar, including his brothers and in-laws

  • A terrorist involved in the killing of journalist Daniel Pearl, reportedly neutralized in the same strikes


Osama bin Laden and Pakistan’s Terror Nexus

Prasad reminded the audience of Osama bin Laden’s presence in Pakistan, where he was eventually killed in Abbottabad in 2011 by US Navy SEALs. He criticized Pakistan’s role as a breeding ground for global terrorism and reiterated that India’s actions are a part of a global fight against terrorism, which he called a “global cancer.”


India’s Consistent Policy of Peaceful Engagement

Ravi Shankar Prasad reiterated India’s commitment to peace, stating that India has never been the aggressor in any conflict with Pakistan. He recalled diplomatic efforts made by multiple Indian Prime Ministers, including:

  • Jawaharlal Nehru

  • Lal Bahadur Shastri

  • Indira Gandhi

  • Atal Bihari Vajpayee

  • Dr. Manmohan Singh

  • Narendra Modi

He particularly highlighted Prime Minister Modi's gesture of goodwill when he invited former Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif to his swearing-in ceremony in 2014 and even made a surprise stopover in Pakistan on Sharif’s invitation in 2015. These overtures, he noted, were followed by major terrorist attacks like Uri, Pulwama, and now Pahalgam, all of which were allegedly backed by Pakistan-sponsored terrorist outfits.


The Pahalgam Terror Attack: A Turning Point

In one of the most disturbing revelations, Prasad described the April 22 Pahalgam attack as a gruesome event where victims were selectively killed based on their religious identity. He mentioned the killing of Hindus and Christians, and recounted the murder of a newlywed woman who had arrived on her honeymoon—emphasizing the barbarity and targeted nature of the act.


Indian Delegation’s Global Outreach Against Terrorism

The visit of the Indian delegation to the United Kingdom is part of India’s global outreach initiative to expose Pakistan's role in sponsoring terrorism and build international consensus. The delegation included:

  • Ravi Shankar Prasad (BJP MP)

  • Daggubati Purandeswari (BJP MP)

  • Samik Bhattacharya (BJP MP)

  • Priyanka Chaturvedi (Shiv Sena UBT MP)

  • Ghulam Ali Khatana (Congress MP)

  • Amar Singh (Congress MP)

  • MJ Akbar (Former Union Minister)

  • Pankaj Saran (Former Ambassador)

The delegation’s London visit on May 18 aimed to present a united Indian political front in the face of terrorism.


Location: Pune, Maharashtra, India

Comments

Post a Comment