Professor Srikanth Kondapelli accuses China of buying time by asking for impartial probe into Pahalgam attack

New Delhi [India], April 30 (ANI): Professor in Chinese Studies and Chairperson of the Centre for East Asian Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Srikanth Kondapalli, has accused China of buying time and stalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s action in response to the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir by demanding “swift and fair" investigation into the attack.

Speaking to ANI, Srikanth Kondapalli questioned China’s demand for “fair investigation" as Beijing did not allow global investigators to investigate the Urumqi incident or investigate the origins of COVID-19, despite the Australian Prime Minister seeking a probe and termed their suggestion “problematic and strange."

When asked about China’s stance regarding the ongoing tensions between Pakistan and India following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, he responded, “The Chinese spokesperson… had condemned the incident that happened on April 22nd. He had also said that they expressed sympathies to the victims, etc. So, those cordial things have been mentioned. However, there was no support extended to India, as President Putin mentioned, or as other leaders have mentioned. The Foreign Minister of China spoke to his Pakistani counterpart, Mr Dar, on April 27th, 3 days ago. In this, he said that there should be a swift and fair investigation into the Pahalgam terror attacks. And now that is quite strange because when the Urumqi incident happened in 2009. The Chinese did not allow any global investigators to go into the terror incidents. Likewise, when COVID-19 erupted in China, there was no investigation despite the Australian Prime Minister seeking an investigation into the origins of the virus. So, If the Chinese have not allowed for an investigation. This suggestion appears quite unusual. And also problematic."

He also recalled how India had allowed a Pakistani expert group to visit Pathankot to investigate the terror incident in 2016. However, he noted that Pakistan did not release any report on the probe, and there were no major consequences following the probe in countering terrorists.

He said, “Secondly, the Pakistanis were allowed by India after the Pathankot terror incident, when the airbase incident happened. Therefore, we allowed a Pakistani expert group to conduct an investigation. After that, they did not release any report regarding the Pathankot, and then also there was no major consequence after the investigation was done in countering terrorists or in addressing the issue of terrorism itself. Though this is the Chinese offer, it looks like more buying time and stalling any action that the Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi, had promised in the Bihar election campaign when he said that we will pursue, we will have a hot pursuit of the terrorists or their backers."

“So, the Chinese suggestion then looks like more buying time rather than either supporting India on the counterterrorism effort or in pursuing this matter in terms of the 1267 Committee of the United Nations Security Council. So, all this suggests that the all weather friendship which was reiterated in Wang Yi’s speech with the Pakistanis, that is intact and that means that we should not expect any Chinese support for the counterterrorism related matters with China," he added.

As many as 26 people were killed and several others were injured after terrorists attacked tourists at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam on April 22. Following the attack, India has taken strong countermeasures against Pakistan for its support of cross-border terrorism.

Kondapalli recalled that China indirectly supported Pakistan during the 1971 war. He spoke about the possibility of China extending support to Pakistan directly, as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has already been in place, and Beijing has spent USD 52 billion on it.

He noted that China also has a terrorism problem with Pakistan, as 34 Chinese nationals have been killed in 14 incidents in the past four years in Pakistan.

When asked whether China is going to help Pakistan militarily or financially if there is a bigger flare-up from the Indian side, Srikanth Kondapalli said, “If you look at the history, 1965 India-Pakistan War. 1971 war, Kargil war in the 90s. When you look at these incidents, China had supported Pakistan indirectly, not directly, indirectly meaning opening another front, that is the northern front, the border front with India. They have released Yaks during the 71 campaign. They have demanded India to withdraw troops from Sikkim in the 1965 war. During Kargil, they have trained the Pakistan Air Force at Skardu Airfield when we had the Kargil incident. So, these appeared then indirect support to Pakistan. Of course, 2025 they may directly support. However, there are for the reasons that CPEC has already been in place, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, they have spent USD 52 billion on this and even though the Chinese themselves have a terrorism problem with Pakistan because 34 Chinese people were killed in Pakistan in 14 incidents in the last four years. So, they have a grouse on their own. Global Times, when the Dasu Hydro electricity project blast took place, killing 9 people in 2021."

“The Global Times said that China should launch missiles on the terrorist camps in Pakistan while the Chinese themselves say they should have a hot pursuit, including use of missiles. They today do not want India to take similar action on Pakistan. It indicates then the reluctance, but also possibly indirect to direct support to Pakistan in future if the Indian side opens a hot pursuit within Pakistan. So this is one factor. The second factor is as part of the CPEC, China has 36,000 security guards in Pakistan. They have nearly 20,000 Chinese workers in different parts of Pakistan on the CPEC-related issues or other construction jobs like in Gwadar, like in other places. So, if there is a crossfire between India and Pakistan, if there are Chinese casualties, because many of these are located in the border areas like the CPEC projects. If such a situation happens, it is likely that China may play more direct role in the India-Pakistan upcoming conflict," he added.

Following the attack in Pahalgam, India has taken strong countermeasures against Pakistan for its support of cross-border terrorism. In the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 23, India decided to hold the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 in abeyance until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably ends its support for cross-border terrorism and closes the integrated Attari Check Post.India has also declared the officials of the Pakistani High Commission persona non grata and ordered them to leave India within a week.

Additionally, the central government decided to cancel any visas issued under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) and ordered Pakistani officials to leave the country within 48 hours.India has also suspended visa services for Pakistani nationals, effective immediately. All existing valid visas issued by India to Pakistani nationals will stand revoked, effective from April 27, 2025, as stated by the Ministry of External Affairs in a press release.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured the country that the terrorists responsible for this attack, along with those who conspired to commit it, will face punishment beyond their imagination.

Speaking at a gathering in Bihar’s Madhubani on April 24, PM Modi declared, “The terrorists responsible for this attack, along with those who conspired it, will face punishment beyond their imagination," stressing that the time has come to eliminate the remaining strongholds of terrorism.

“The willpower of 140 crore Indians will now break the backbone of the perpetrators of terror," the PM emphasised.

He further stated, “We will identify, track, and punish every terrorist, their handlers, and their backers, pursuing them to the ends of the earth. India’s spirit will never be broken by terrorism, and terrorism will not go unpunished. Every effort will be made to ensure justice is served, and the entire nation is firm in this resolve against terrorism." (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)

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