Ceasefire at risk as India sends mixed signals; Masood Khan

MUZAFFARABAD, May 23 (APP): Former President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and senior diplomat Sardar Masood Khan has said that India’s history is rife with broken promises.
In an interview on Friday, he said that India tends to make commitments in times of crisis, only to renege on them once the pressure subsides.
“After suffering a setback at the hands of the Pakistan Army during the recent conflict and realizing that further military engagement would result in heavy financial and human losses, India not only accepted a ceasefire but also expressed willingness to engage in dialogue over all issues, including Kashmir. However, he warned that it is quite likely India may now backtrack on that commitment”, Khan observed.
Sardar Masood Khan emphasized that the world now recognized Kashmir as the core issue between two nuclear-armed states—India and Pakistan, without the resolution of which, peace and stability in the region could not be guaranteed. Global peace is intrinsically linked to the security of South Asia, he stressed.
Commenting on U.S. President Donald Trump’s offer to mediate on Kashmir, Khan said that Trump’s initiative has once again brought the Kashmir issue onto the international agenda. He noted that similar offers were made by President Trump in 2016 and 2019, but they failed due to India’s non-cooperation.
He asserted that Trump’s latest offer reflects a deliberate and calculated diplomatic move. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also indicated that both the United States and Pakistan are open to broad-based dialogue—at a neutral venue—where Kashmir would be a central issue. He termed this a significant development but added that the onus now lies with India to respond positively.
When asked about the promotion of Army Chief General Asim Munir to the rank of Field Marshal, Khan said that the honor was based on his performance during the recent conflict. He added that this also serves as a strategic signal to India, warning that Pakistan is fully prepared to engage in a broader war if India pursues aggressive military ambitions.
He remarked that India continues to send mixed signals—sometimes advocating for peace, while at other times presenting its military setbacks as victory to appease its domestic audience.
Khan shared that he recently visited the Abbaspur sector along the Line of Control (LoC), where he paid tribute to the martyrs at a military post and met with soldiers, praising their courage and morale.
“These brave defenders put their lives at risk to safeguard our nation,” he said.
Commenting on Indian Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi’s statement in Parliament that the Congress policy aimed to keep China and Pakistan apart, but the current BJP government’s flawed policies have brought them closer, Khan said Gandhi’s remarks expose the real face of Indian statecraft.
He claimed that both BJP and previous Congress governments have historically tried to drive a wedge between China and Pakistan, but failed. He further accused the BJP of running training camps for terrorism in Delhi and other parts of India and establishing proxy bases in Afghanistan and Iran.
He alleged these were being used to carry out terrorist activities inside Pakistan, while maintaining a diplomatic facade for the global audience.
Referring to targeted attacks on Chinese nationals in Dasu and Karachi, Khan claimed India orchestrated these incidents to drive a wedge between Pakistan and China, but the strategy failed.
He highlighted that trilateral talks between China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan in China reflect a forward-looking approach, especially within the framework of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and China’s Belt and Road Initiative. “In contrast, India’s vision remains narrow and regressive, rooted in destabilizing neighbors through terrorism,” he said.
On whether integrating Afghanistan into CPEC might anger the United States, Khan responded that even strategic thinkers in the U.S. understand the value of fostering trust among China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. He noted that the U.S. itself is interested in investment and partnerships in the mineral sector of this region.
“International relations are complex and cannot be seen in black and white,” he added.
Addressing a question about the perceived tilt of the Afghan Taliban towards India during the recent Pakistan-India standoff, Khan called it unfortunate.
He emphasized that Pakistan has long supported the Afghan people, offering refuge to millions and standing by them in their struggle for freedom. However, he acknowledged that India has manipulated Afghan public opinion by spreading anti-Pakistan propaganda.
“There are factions within the Taliban—some are sympathetic to Pakistan, while others have fallen prey to Indian deception,” he said.
Khan concluded by warning that in times of war, tensions can escalate to unpredictable levels, impacting global supply chains. He emphasized that China’s top priority, as it approaches the centenary of its independence, is to emerge as a leading economic and strategic power.
Any regional conflict could destabilize China’s Belt and Road Initiative and its investments across more than a hundred countries and all continents. “This is why China—and Pakistan—remain staunch advocates of peace and stability,” he said.