Muhammad Anees
The world has witnessed many wars but the latest four days war between India and Pakistan was exceptional. The South-Asian stakes have gone so high during the four-day conflict between the India and Pakistan. This standoff between the two nuclear armed nations has shocked the whole world. It was not just a war rather it was the game of nerves which needs to be a tested during four days crises in South Asia.
It was a multi-domain war in air, digital and societal grounds. In this effort, Pakistan’s integrated response dominated India at all domains. Pakistan has not only maintained unity at home, but also acquired the credibility abroad through comprehensive response either in the form of acquiring air superiority or conquering the virtual war.
To begin with the military response and the air superiority, Pakistan has shown strategic maturity through well-synergized military strategy and managing the crisis in a well-disciplined way which turned the pressure into leverage. Pakistan’s military response was to take control of the skies and sending clear message of strength and readiness while avoiding quick escalation. It has also displayed the controlled escalation which shows that it showed the great strategic insight into action in South-Asia and tried to achieve its goals without escalation.
The air war and dogfight between two countries is considered as one of largest dogfights, since World War-II, this aerial combat involved 125 jets According to London’s Royal United States Services Institute (RUSI), with the help of J-10 and PAF has made a world record of shooting the longest-range air to air strike with PL-15, from around 200 km away. Hence, Pakistan not only dominated the skies but also avoided the inflammatory rhetoric, which helped Pakistan to shape international perception of responsibility and credibility.
Moreover, the digital platforms emerged as a new battlefield during the crises. While Pakistan’s official and national media remained controlled and avoided creating chaotic sensation, the public platforms and social media flooded with memes and short videos. Meme war reflected the shared narrative which Pakistan has successfully adopted and indoctrinated into the minds of its people. When the guns were smoking, the general public of Pakistan was sharing memes of Indian drones and jets. It shows that, humor emerges as a by-product of confidence which the state of Pakistan has assured to its masses.
Although, digital platforms can rise the crises more than mainstream media. But Indian mainstream media has faced criticism over the false allegation and misinformation. Despite being rallies of lies from India media, Pakistani media behaved in responsible manner, avoided the amplifying the unverified claims and maintained discipline. By avoiding the misinformation, and relying on truth Pakistan has ensured credibility in digital space.
Furthermore, the most significant aspect, which helped Pakistan to stay firm in the time of crisis, in front of six times bigger state, was the national unity. Without internal stability and unity Pakistan has to face challenges and difficulties to deal with external pressures. Despite having internal fragmentations, all the political parties and institution united at the time of crisis. In addition, not only the civil-military relations were strengthened, but also the media, civil society, and policy makers showed unity and resentment.
Many experts believe that what Pakistan has achieved after the four days of war was all due to its national integration. The consistency in this integrated response was so unique that worked as a stabilizing force during the time of chaos and war. This made Pakistan to stay focused without any internal pressure and discord, and coordinated state policy with public opinion, hence the national unity has been achieved which ultimately resulted in global credibility.
Lastly, Pakistan has achieved the credibility and the leverage abroad due to its well-directed and responsible conduct. In this regard, the recent UN report on human rights has acknowledged and strengthened the Pakistan’s stance on Pahalgam attack. Pakistan has called for and offered international investigation but India failed to provide the proofs on Pakistan’s hand in Pahalgam. UN experts stated that India’s aggression on Pakistan’s territory has not only risked the right to human life and security but also breached the international norms.
Moreover, the Donald Trump’s speeches and statements showed that Pakistan is positive and responsible state in South-Asia, which not only admitted his untiring peace efforts but also nominated him for Nobel Peace Prize. His statements portrayed the positive image of Pakistan as a peace-loving country who is willing to de-escalate rather than confrontation. Pakistan proved itself as a credible state though its actions which enabled Pakistan to hold a unique position of stabilizer in a hostile region.
Pakistan’s success was not only achieved by the military means but by the integration of power, narrative and diplomacy. Pakistan has set an example of how the unity at home and credibility abroad can be achieved. Pakistan’s civil and military leadership effectively managed the crises.
The effective mobilization of military and virtual assets has given by the Pakistani nation a confidence which helped and avoided the whole nation from war hysteria. Pakistan has proved to be a credible state which not only protected its territory from an external aggression but also avoided escalation. In order to secure peace and stability in the region, India must stop blaming and striking Pakistan with its new doctrine of responding all terror attacks with strike on Pakistan, while Pakistan should strengthen and continue its efforts to curb the menace of terrorism.
Pakistan has proved in a recent conflict with India, that despite having domestic challenges, and fragmentations, its people always ready to stand by its armed forces in time of crises. In order overcome the threats of foreign aggression a state should understand the challenges of contemporary hybrid warfare, and Pakistan’s comprehensive response in a four days war demonstrated that how unity at home and credibility abroad can be achieved in a controlled and well-disciplined manner.
The author is a researcher of international relations with an academic background in Peace and Conflict Studies. His research and writing focus on foreign policy, security, and international affairs.
