THAT Pakistan would turn hysterical with the rising pressure fromIndia, was a given.Those who understood the Pakistani method and manner knew that the Pakistani leadership would follow the country’s age-old dictum of trying to act innocent and react in what may be interpreted by some as righteous indignation. However, by now, the world knows all too well all these Pakistani tricks -- which India will expose at every step of the way. As usual, the world understands India well and has assured to support everyrighteousIndianmove.This expanding support India is garnering is also one of the reasons of Pakistan’s panic. Of course, different world powers, including the United States, will try to calm things down, which is a normal practice. However, all the do-gooders also realise that India has come to the end of its patience and is acting only in response to the Pakistani hooliganism of the official sort. Though it is not possible to fathom what turn the current crisis would take in the days to come, it appears thatIndia would not stop short of teaching Pakistan a tough lesson or two.

 

This also is a reason for Pakistan’s fear-psychosis. On the practical level, however, it must be stated with emphasis that Pakistan has all reasons to be fearful in the current scenario -- thanks to its own weaknesses, thanks to its own moral turpitude, thanks to its neurotic State policy which treats terrorism as one of its tools. All those sins of commission are now welling up to make things very, very difficult for Pakistan. In its panic-stricken condition, Pakistan has taken some steps -- all of which appear to have been taken in sheer haste. In sharp contrast is the Indian response to the crisis. Each of India’s moves is well pre-meditated, well calibrated, well calculated for its gain-and-loss quotient, and based on a well considered risk and threat perceptions. Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi’s conduct in the past few days is an example of most mature leadership.

 

Not only did he cut short his visit to Saudi Arabia, but also threw himself headlong into a seriesofwell-thoughtmoves thatincludedhighest-levelmeetings with his close advisors and topmost Government functionaries handling different domains. There is urgency, all right, in all the moves of the Prime Minister, but no rush, no haste. These are the marks of good leadership. Everybody knows that India is going to act tough. But the time before that tough action comes is confusing the common people. They had expected a near real-time response byIndia.

 

Bythat, thecommonpeoplemeantmilitaryresponse. Thatiswheretheperceptionshavediffered.Indiadidrespond quickly, but not militarily. That part of the larger response may come later, but India did respond by slapping sanctions on Pakistan. Those Indian actions did elicit Pakistanireactions, too. But the difference between themoves of the two countriesis stark and visible to all. Pakistan is in a state of panic, while India is in a state of planning and its neat execution. The tug, thus, is between planning and panic. The biggest factor that dominates the thought-process of common Indian people is that of military action by India.

 

There is a school of thought that feels that India is hesitating. That may not be true, of course, but the slowness of the Indian response has given the common people reason good enough to suspect whether there is hesitation on the Indian side. The common people in India do realise that Pakistan is mortally afraid of the ugly consequences of its sponsorship of terrorism. That is why they feel that a swift and sharp military action -- such as snatching back occupied Kashmir -- woulddowondersinIndia’sfavour.Thepeople feel,itiswrong to give Pakistan enough time to reorganise itself.