There has been a general perception that Nawaz Sharif was really soft on India during his tenure as Prime Minister. Fayyaz-ul-Hassan Chohan, Punjab Information Minister, now says the former premier is speaking Ajit Doval’s language against the security institutions

Fayyaz-ul-Hassan Chohan, Punjab Information Minister, said on Tuesday that former premier Nawaz Sharif spoke Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and notorious influencer Major Gaurav Arya’s language in the All Parties Conference (APC). The provincial minister said in his statement that PML-N supremo Sharif gave proof of unification with the enemy and neutralized Shehbaz Sharif’s two-year struggle.

Fayyaz Chohan said, “The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) which was made by the APC is in fact ‘Pakistan Demolishing Movement.’ As always, Nawaz Sharif is making a futile attempt to use the opposition for personal benefits”.

Notably, Major Gaurav Arya is known for his anti-Pakistan and anti-CPEC position. It was recently seen that Arya used different tactics to target the CPEC projects. “I am in touch with terrorists. The Pakistani Army, we will give them such a bloody nose that these people will remember for ten generations,” he had said.

He went on to say that he had the terrorists’ contact numbers on his mobile phone and he was in touch with them ‘almost every day’. He added that he told terrorists that the entire Indian population stands with them, and against Pakistan.

There is a strong opinion among policymakers and commentators in Pakistan that Nawaz Sharif’s business interests with the Indians reflect a deep link between the two. PM Modi, a fascist Indian Prime Minister, visited Nawaz during a family function and Nawaz also held some meetings with Indian businessmen in the northern areas. Most importantly, Nawaz always shied away from taking a strong position on Kashmir and Kulbhushan Yadav during his tenure as PM.

Nawaz’s Anti-Pakistan Position

Two years ago, ousted Prime Minister and former head of the PML-N, Nawaz Sharif, made some ‘irresponsible’ and ‘controversial’ remarks on Mumbai attacks. Sharif was alluding to the 2008 Mumbai attacks when more than 150 people were killed and more than 300 were wounded. Indian media and authorities had immediately blamed Pakistan for the brutal attack.

Lashkar-e-Taiba, a banned terrorist organization, was held responsible for a series of 12 coordinated shooting and bombing attacks lasting four days across Mumbai. Pakistan agreed to cooperate with India in order to reach a logical conclusion of the case.

Moreover, while commenting on the foreign policy of Pakistan the former premier took a tough stance and expressed his anger and displeasure. “We have isolated ourselves. Despite giving sacrifices, our narrative is not being accepted. Afghanistan’s narrative is being accepted, but ours is not. We must look into it,” he said.

Nawaz Sharif was referring to the recent media campaigns led by Indian and Western media against Pakistan to isolate it. Pakistan has been under the constant pressure of the United States to follow the policy of ‘do more’ in Afghanistan.

Sharif got widespread media coverage in India after his interview on the Mumbai attacks.

Mumbai Attacks: Who Benefited?

There are a number of conspiracy theories and a well-furnished anti-Pakistan narrative to explain the causes behind the Mumbai attacks. Conspiracy theorists get attention when they focus on explaining events on the basis of their ‘utility’ and ‘outcomes’, not only on superficial levels.

If Mumbai attacks and their causes and masterminds are to be understood and identified, there needs to be asked a fundamental question; who benefits?

In the wake of the Mumbai attacks, argues Elias Davidsson, India managed to get some advantages/outcomes it wished for. Pakistan, on the other hand, paid a heavy price and is still paying. “Mumbai terrorism benefitted Indian institutions (Defence budget hiked by 21% immediately) and helped India, US, UK, and Israel come together and strengthened right-wing Hindutva politics in India makes lots of historical sense,” wrote Dr. Moeed Pirzada while making references from Elias Davidsson’s book, The Betrayal of India: Revisiting the 26/11 Evidence.

Many observers point that Pakistan earned a bad name, was blamed by India, bashed by the international community and snubbed by the US. It could be asked why would Pakistan engage in an act that would come back to haunt it?