It appears South Asia is being set up for a possible nuclear conflict. United States, Israel and European governments have stepped up state of the art sale of offensive military arms to India for economic and strategic reasons and to bolster their arms supplying industries. Pakistan on the other hand is being denied meaningful defensive military hardware owing to political considerations but also because Pakistan does not have the “cash” to buy latest weapons for her defence.

Few years down the line India might be ruled by rabidly anti-muslim Amit Shah or worse Yogi Adityanath as Prime Minister. Emboldened by serious military imbalance with Pakistan in their favour, if India decides to ‘teach Pakistan a lesson’ with their full might, Pakistan will have no choice but to defend her territorial integrity with all means at her disposal. This is the dire scenario in which Pakistan may have to resort to tactical nuclear arsenal to keep the Indian juggernaut out. The consequences are too frightening to contemplate. World powers vying with each other to become premier arms suppliers to India must pause and rethink their role in pushing our region towards a nuclear Armageddon!

SALMAN YUNUS.

Lahore.