What happened with all those innocent tourists from India dying in Pala gam is a terrible thing. When something tragic like this happens, it is very common for people to want answers fast, and this often leads to blame going across borders as we have seen with India and Pakistan. It didn’t take India long after the attack to state this was a terror attack with links to Pakistan and that Pakistan had aided these attackers in some way. This is a serious statement and a very dangerous accusation when India and Pakistan don’t have the friendliest of relationships. Similarly, Pakistan has also quickly and forcefully denied any role in the attack. However, many in Pakistan, including some senior figures in the military, suggested that it may not have happened exactly as people think. They were thinking it might have been a false flag, where someone from within India planned and conducted the attack to frame Pakistan.
The idea of a false flag is big. It implies a massive level of deception and manipulation that would be shocking if true, but people who hold this idea mentioned a couple of things. First, the attackers attacked an area that is typically heavily guarded by the military, and the people thought it strange that there was no higher command involved, or at least no one knew. Secondly, it wasn’t lost on them that there was a similar false flag attack some time ago that happened coincidentally when a US president was in India, which gave an international motive. Complicating matters further is the statement by the group naming itself The Resistance Front
(TRF), claiming to be behind the attack. The group is said to have connections to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a group based out of Pakistan, and the claim has seemingly bolstered India’s case against Pakistan. But does it also make you think if this is an honest claim, or simply being spun to support a particular storyline? Then there is a question of how fast the Indian police presented their initial attack report. Some critics in Pakistan have noted that the minutes-after-the-attack report had already written “terrorists from across the border.” This has generated some skepticism among some publications, and the question of whether or not the story of what happened was being shaped so early. Considering all this, we are clearly in a situation where there are many stories, and everybody is skeptical of everybody else. It is easy to become emotionally invested and feel a certain way about one side, given the long history of conflict between India and Pakistan, particularly for Kashmir. Nevertheless, to me, what is most important is to be very careful in concluding. To make the statement that this was definitely a false flag operation and similar statements about Pakistan, without solid and indisputable proof, would be irresponsible and dangerous. The environment is very tense, and improperly blaming and spreading misinformation would exacerbate it.
The most necessary elements are an independent and transparent investigation into the events that transpired in Pala gam. An investigation involving individuals from outside India and Pakistan, so that the world can trust the scope of the outcome. Both India and Pakistan will need to agree to share all information they have and cooperate fully to achieve an investigation outcome that is similar to the Kattan Udy Massacre investigation. It is also important for leaders, journalists, and the media in India and Pakistan to use language carefully and avoid inflammatory comments, slurs, and allegations without proof. All this will do is foment anger and make it more difficult to seek the truth and move toward peace. But looking into what really happened in Pala Gam is not simply about uncovering a single horrible incident. It has to do with the stranded lives and the question of accountability for the victims and their families. It also has to do with the larger issue of peace and stability in a nuclear weapons-armed region with a legacy of violence. Considering the opinions based on mere suspicions and ancient grievances could lead to truly awful outcomes for all parties concerned, and so, we must insist on truth and due process.
The author is an undergraduate student and can be reached at shafakgillani@gmail.com
Related
