By Mohsin Iqbal
There is an old and wise Urdu saying that a single dirty fish can pollute an entire pond. The truth of this proverb has once again been laid bare in the verdant hills and valleys of Azad Kashmir, where generations of peace-loving people have lived in harmony, sharing one another’s joys and sorrows like members of a single family. Their pond was clean, tranquil and prosperous. Yet, as has happened so many times before, an external hand has sought to muddy these sacred waters by introducing elements of discord and division from outside.
In recent weeks, the serene landscape of Azad Kashmir has been disturbed by calculated unrest. Protests led by the Joint Awami Action Committee have erupted across several areas, including Rawalakot, Muzaffarabad and Poonch. What began as agitation over local issues such as reserved legislative seats for refugees, rising prices and governance concerns has turned tense, resulting in tragic clashes, the loss of precious lives, injuries, shutter-down strikes and the disruption of normal life. This is precisely the kind of chaos that Pakistan’s adversaries relish and actively seek to exploit.
India, our eternal enemy, has once more shown its true cowardly face. Unable to confront Pakistan honourably on the battlefield, it has resorted to its familiar tactics of a long-standing proxy war. Through the infiltration of agents, the funding of disruptive elements, the dissemination of false propaganda and the clever exploitation of local grievances via social media and covert networks, India plants “dirty fish” — mischievous proxies and instigators — into the peaceful waters of Azad Kashmir. These elements work methodically to fan the flames of discontent, amplify minor differences into major divisions and sow the seeds of hatred, suspicion and chaos where peace once prevailed. This proxy warfare is part of India’s broader strategy of “bleeding by a thousand cuts”, avoiding direct confrontation while attempting to weaken Pakistan from within.
The pattern is not new; it is part of a long, sinister design. Before targeting Azad Kashmir so directly, the same enemy struck at East Pakistan, then attempted to destabilise Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other parts of the country through similar proxy tactics — supporting insurgent groups, spreading disinformation and funding anti-state activities. The scars of those earlier conspiracies still remind us of India’s cunning and relentless malice.
This adversary is patient and treacherous. It avoids open war, preferring instead to strike from the shadows through infiltration, propaganda and the instigation of internal divisions. In Azad Kashmir today, the goal remains clear: to disturb the hard-earned peace, weaken the unbreakable bond between the people and the state, and create conditions that serve Indian interests, especially ahead of important regional developments, including upcoming elections.
Yet Pakistan has developed robust and highly effective counter-insurgency strategies that have repeatedly proven their worth. Through a combination of intelligence-based operations, kinetic military actions and comprehensive non-kinetic measures — including socio-economic development, deradicalisation programmes and close coordination between civil and military institutions — the nation has successfully cleansed many troubled areas in the past. Operations such as Zarb-e-Azb and Radd-ul-Fasaad demonstrated to the world Pakistan’s unwavering resolve and professional capability to uproot terrorism and proxy networks from its soil. The same spirit of vigilance, precision and national unity now stands ready to protect Azad Kashmir.
The people of Azad Kashmir have always demonstrated remarkable resilience and unwavering loyalty to Pakistan. This latest test calls upon that same spirit. All political parties and leaders in the region must rise above narrow personal and partisan differences. Internal rivalries must be set aside immediately in the greater interest of the homeland. It is the solemn duty of every responsible citizen and leader to identify these foreign-planted elements, expose their nefarious designs and remove them before they cause lasting damage. The ponds must be cleansed so that peace, prosperity and harmony may return.
Our valiant Pakistan Army and law enforcement agencies stand ever ready, as they always have, to defend the motherland and its people. Their vigilance, sacrifices and proven counter-insurgency expertise form the strongest shield against external threats and proxy warfare. But the most effective defence begins with the awareness and unity of the people themselves. When the masses remain alert, united and loyal, no amount of external mischief or Indian proxy tactics can succeed.
Pakistan has faced such conspiracies many times in the past and has emerged stronger with each challenge. The enemy may introduce dirty fish, but it cannot prevail as long as the pond — the people of Azad Kashmir and Pakistan — refuses to accept pollution. By rejecting division, maintaining internal harmony and standing firm as a lead-lined wall against foreign interference and proxy designs, the people will once again frustrate the designs of those who wish them ill.
(The writer is a parliamentary expert with decades of experience in legislative research and media affairs, leading policy support initiatives for lawmakers on complex national and international issues, and can be reached at editorial@metro-Morning.com)
