While External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s speech highlighted India’s achievements, the Pakistani Army chief’s address appeared divisive. Munir said the cultures of India and Pakistan were different, as he justified the partition.
Two addresses, attributable to members of the top brass from India and Pakistan, have come in recent days, which clearly differentiate between the approaches of both countries. The addresses under consideration are of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir.
Here’s what Jaishankar said
Speaking at an interactive session at Charotar University of Science and Technology in Gujarat, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that India has changed, while Pakistan, he wished, would have changed too.
Jaishankar’s address centred around India’s economic and diplomatic progress in the past, as he highlighted, “We have grown economically and politically, and our standing in the world has improved.”
Jaishankar also stressed that India’s “brand today is technology”. In an indirect jab at Pakistan, he added, “That is the difference. We will respond if terrorism happens, but why should I spend my precious time on them?”
While the Indian External Affairs Minister talked about India’s achievements, showcasing India’s economic and diplomatic prowess, emphasising New Delhi does not want to spend time discussing Pakistan, the Pakistani Army chief ranted about India and raked up Kashmir in his latest address in Islamabad.
Pakistan Army chief’s address
He seemingly promoted divisive rhetoric, delineating religious intolerance by trying to differentiate between ‘Hindus’ and ‘Muslims’. He added that Pakistanis are different from ‘Hindus’ in several aspects, including culture, ambition, ideologies, and more.
Munir, who was addressing the Overseas Pakistanis Convention in Islamabad, added, “Pakistan was created to separate Muslims from Hindus, as they differ in every aspect – traditions, thoughts, and ambitions.”
The Pakistan Army chief tried to single out Islamabad by differentiating between the shared history of India and Pakistan, saying, “That is why our forefathers struggled to create this country. Our forefathers and we have sacrificed a lot for the creation of this country.”
Notably, Jaishankar expressed how India learnt from the past and changed its approach after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. The Pakistani general, on the other hand, defended the two-nation theory, a relic of the past that became the foundation for the India-Pakistan partition.
