On May 10, Pakistan armed forces launched the operation “Bunyan-un-Marsus” in response to India’s assault on Pakistani territories. On May 7, the Indian assault had come to target “terrorist infrastructure” inside Pakistan. Earlier, on April 22, a terrorist attack took place in Pahalgam in Indian occupied Kashmir that began a usual inundation of accusations against Pakistan without providing evidence. This culture of terrorist attacks and responses has become a new normal in international affairs, particularly since 9/ 11, 2001. The clash of civilizations thesis provided the platform for this new culture. We must understand the current conflict in this context.
Our focus here is not to delve into the reasons for the current conflict between India and Pakistan, nor to address the question of terrorism. We aim to dissect the strategic implications and significance of Pakistan’s operation Bunyan-un-Marsus, which translates to ‘solid structure’ or ‘impenetrable wall.’ The Qur’an guides its followers to stand in ranks (61: 4) – to stand next to each other and support one another in the common cause. The establishment sought to ensure unconditional public support for Pakistan’s action, a move with far-reaching strategic implications.
India had launched attacks on Pakistan, this time to complete the job for the last time: to finish all “terrorist infrastructure” inside Pakistan. Earlier, India had conducted similar operations multiple times. Within hours of the Pakistani operation Bunyan-un-Marsus, the US President Donald Trump intervened and offered both countries a solution for “the long-disputed Kashmir region, days after his administration brokered a ceasefire between the two nuclear-armed rivals” without using the term terrorism. This was Pakistan’s stated objective. Pakistan has always insisted that problems of terrorism in the area relate to the unresolved Kashmir dispute. India seems to have miscalculated the US stance on the issue. It had high expectations of gaining unconditional US support. Interestingly, the Director General of the Indian Air Force’s Air Operations claimed to have achieved their objective.
In this context, it is crucial to underscore some ground realities. How did Pakistan achieve its objective? Most Indian and international analysts, including the Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, believe that Pakistan benefited from China’s unconditional support for Pakistan’s security. This perception aligns with our understanding. However, the pressing question is, will Pakistan’s ‘Bunyan-un-Marsus’ theme continue to ensure the continuity of the country’s system of governance? One Pakistani political analyst believes that the latest eruption has brought reprieve to a ‘reviled, isolated, and paranoid’ Pakistani establishment. This is where our concern lies. The need for institutional integrity is more urgent than ever. Will the Pakistani establishment change its behavior?
This situation reminds me of the Qur’anic verse: “Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due, and when you judge between people, you judge with justice. Excellent is that which Allah instructs you. Indeed, Allah is ever Hearing and Seeing (4: 58). This verse was revealed during the liberation of Makkah in the 8th year Hijri. After the liberation of Ka’ba Prophet’s (SM) uncle, Abbas and cousin Ali approached him to get the keys to the Sacred House, which, based on a pre-prophetic custom, were held by Banu Shayba – a clan that had not yet accepted Islam. The Prophet complied with the request of his uncle and cousin. However, immediately, the Prophet handed the key back to Banu Shayba representative Uthman bin Talha. One may find narration of this event in Al-Tabari, Musnad Ahmad, Ibn Kathir, and many other sources.
One should not remind the Pakistani establishment what belongs to whom. Whether political leaders or military commanders should lead a country. Who is supposed to make political decisions, such as calling for unity, and who should comply? Pakistan’s army chief claims to be a memorizer (hafiz) of the Qur’an, but many commentators have pointed out his practice of misquoting the Qur’an. One should remember the Indian Prime Minister’s warning that, “India has only paused military action against Pakistan.” Days after President Trump’s intervention, a wounded Modi came on camera saying, “Terror and talks can’t go together. Nor can terror and trade.”
Our cautious recommendation to those who run the affairs in Pakistan is to learn from the Qur’an and the Prophetic tradition. The unity that the people of Pakistan have demonstrated during this crisis will not last too long. Allah’s help did come in 1947, and they achieved Pakistan, but Pakistani establishments over the decades have destroyed institutions that the British had established during their colonial rule. They have corrupted the armed forces, the judiciary, and the bureaucracy. In other words, like the way the Prophet did not abolish every institution before his time, we should not have destroyed the sound institutions established by colonial rulers. The Pakistani establishment has already lost East Pakistan and is encountering challenges from other regional forces. Such would not have happened had they followed the Qur’anic recommendation of justice and human dignity. The current situation cannot overstate the moral imperative of justice and human dignity.