ISLAMABAD, Nov 28 (APP): Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Pakistan’s former foreign secretary and ex-ambassador to the United States, launched his book “Pakistan-India Relations: Fractured Past, Uncertain Future” on Friday at the Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI).
The book draws on his 37 years of diplomatic experience and offers a first-hand, unbiased account of Pakistan-India ties, examining decades of conflict, cooperation, and misperception.
Amb. Aizaz work is grounded in authentic sources from India, and he cites numerous books by Indian, British, American, and Pakistani authors. His narrative uniquely chronicles the story of bilateralism, objectively studying both points of engagement and disagreement.
The book opens with the pre-partition era, tracing the rise of Hindu and Muslim nationalism in the Indian subcontinent, and moves through key events, culminating in the May 2025 showdown.
Chaudhry touches on incidents that could either make or break ties, presenting a comprehensive correction of historical myths and misperceptions about India and Pakistan.
Mr Chaudhry highlights India’s use of terrorism as a political tool, while noting that India itself has resorted to acts of terror.
He cites figures like Hemant Karkare, who was eliminated for exposing what he calls India’s “terror fetish,” alongside other misadventures of New Delhi.
The book is structured into four key parts: mutual mistrust; the Kashmir dispute; the terrorism narrative used to malign Pakistan; and India’s quest for regional dominance.
Chaudhry warns that both countries have failed to coexist peacefully and remain on the brink of perpetual confrontation. He emphasizes that even gestures of goodwill are often misread by India, citing the release of Pilot Abhinandan by Prime Minister Imran Khan, which India labelled as “capitulation.”
He calls for more research and writing on India to shed light on unrecorded historical facets from Pakistan’s perspective. He notes that the 1948 tribal heroism episode remains unrecorded and continues to be misrepresented by India.
Chaudhry criticizes the unilateral abrogation of Articles 370 and 35-A and the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, describing them as violations of international law that pushed relations further back.
He also highlights India’s post-9/11 propaganda, which framed Kashmir as a terrorism issue, blocking meaningful dialogue. The execution of Afzal Guru, he argues, was carried out to appease public sentiment, despite a lack of concrete evidence.
Finally, he examines India’s quest for regional hegemony, which has undermined cooperation with Pakistan. Yet, Chaudhry notes a silent constituency in India still desires peace. However, this hope has been stifled, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has halted engagement with Pakistan for the last nine years.
Amb.Aizaz’s book is both a scholarly account and a wake-up call, urging Pakistan and the world to understand the complexities, challenges, and missed opportunities in the relationship with India.