With reference to Ajai Shukla's excellent analysis of Indo-Pakistan equations in "Mr Modi's Pakistan plan" (January 19), while one must appreciate the prime minister's personal and emotional overtures to our neighbour and the sagacity with which he has followed these up right from the day of his swearing-in, I think we are once again failing to see through the fundamental thinking of the Pakistan government.
Given the "woeful history of Indo-Pakistan engagement" - in the words of the writer - we have to realise that Pakistan has repeatedly played with our genuine desire to sort out problems and has thrown a spanner in the works whenever something concrete was on the brink of being achieved.
Considering the set-up in Pakistan - virtually no elected government there has enjoyed real power as the army has always had the upper hand - it will always be under pressure to engage in India bashing. In fact, this activity has been the raison d'être of successive governments; this cause celebre alone helps them make peace with the all-powerful clergy of whom even the army is believed to be scared of.
Our salvation lies in strengthening our defence, security and intelligence apparatuses and preventing tragedies similar to Mumbai in 2008 and Pathankot this year. Other than that, we should ignore Pakistan. Enough is enough.
Krishan Kalra Gurgaon
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