India and Pakistan: Between Lies, War, and Dysfunction
On 22 April 2025, terrorists attacked Pahalgam—one of the most popular tourist destinations in Kashmir—killing twenty-six people. With a population of 13 million, the Indian-administered Kashmir hosts 700,000 troops, including army personnel, paramilitary forces, and police with extraordinary powers, making it one of the most militarized regions in the world.
Yet, despite the large number of tourists in Pahalgam, no security officer was on site. Rescue operations took hours to arrive. Today, even ordinary citizens can install basic security cameras cheaply. Why, then, was this high-profile area left unwatched—despite its long history of insurgency, terrorist attacks, and territorial disputes involving Pakistan, China, and India?
This is the hallmark of India’s deep dysfunction—something one can grasp only by living in the country and being steeped in its social fabric. Reportedly, there were intelligence warnings ahead of the attack, and Modi had even cancelled a planned visit. But no one thought to warn the tourists. They were left as sitting ducks.
Never in my life have I seen evidence that Indians value human life. This disregard is embedded in their institutions, shaped by the feedback they receive, and reflected in the type of individuals who rise to power. For politicians, bureaucrats, and the armed forces, ordinary people are treated as little more than expendable guinea pigs.
Regardless of the circumstances, the priority remains: maximize bribe collection and secure electoral victories through demagoguery. The goal is to keep the population perpetually on edge—but not to the point of collapse—because a truly destabilized society would threaten their comfortable, insulated lifestyles.
In the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, Satya Pal Malik, the former Governor of Kashmir, described Modi as shameless and a coward in a part-Hindi, part-English interview. But perhaps more damningly, drawing on his insider experience, he portrayed the regime as clueless and incompetent. Even during publicly presented as significant meetings, he said, little substance takes place—just good food and idle small talk.
Either way, the death of twenty-six people is a non-event in India. Even the deaths of hundreds often pass without a murmur. The police, driven purely by a predatory instinct, kill real or imagined criminals with impunity, including acting on behalf of mafia interests. The courts remain passive, and the public apathetic.
Indians and empathy have nothing in common.
In the absence of genuine leadership—and worse, under the rule of demagogues—hatred has been steadily intensifying across India. Linguistic, regional, and religious conflicts are on the rise. This was inevitable, especially as the country moved further away from British rule’s relative sanity.
The rational, intelligent, and realistic Indians know that endemic corruption cannot be eradicated because the society lacks the moral impulse or consciousness to do so. Their best hope is for intelligent, even if corrupt, poli
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