By Augustine Anthony
WASHINGTON– A Pakistani-American Christian organization voiced serious concern over the cross-border shelling into Pakistan by Indian troops, saying rising tension could spark a war between the nuclear-armed neighbors and put the global peace at stake.
Both South Asian states have hardened postures after they called off bilateral talks hours before the meeting in the Indian capital of New Delhi last month, blaming each other for the deadlock. Cross-border firing has since spiked and killed several people mostly in villages along the Pakistani side of the border.
World powers, including the United States, must take note of the “aggressive” policy adopted by Indian Prime Minister Narandera Modi which is pushing the region to the brink of a “conflict between nuclear powers,” said Anjum Bhatti, President of Christian League of Pakistan in the U.S.
“Mr. Modi is treadring a dangerous path,” Bhatti said at a Press Conference in Springfield, Virginia.
Bhatti said he had been perturbed by Indian leades’ statements like the Indian army chief’s threat of limited and swift wars.
Modi and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a July meeting in in Ufa, Russia had agreed to resume stalled talks, raising hope for a thaw in their icy ties.
But India’s insistence to restrict talks to “terrorism-related issues” only, after Pakistan announced plans to meet Kashmiri leaders from the Indian-held leaders prior to the talks, led to the cancellation of long-awaited parleys. Pakistan said any “preconditions” to talks were unacceptable, and that the UN-recognized Kashmir dispute could not be taken off the table.
The United States expressed its disappointment and urged the warring neighbors to resolve their issues through peaceful means, but refused to overtly intervene, saying it was a matter for the two countries to deicide.
Bhatti said all past attempts to resolve the bilateral issues have failed and sought the U.S. intervention to reduce tension between Pakistan and India.
“War between the two nuclear powers will not only be disastrous the region but will have serious implications for the entire world.”
