Pakistan has once again demonstrated its penchant for reckless provocation, brazenly challenging India’s patience and inviting consequences it can ill afford. Despite repeated warnings from the Indian government and military, Pakistan remains undeterred in its actions, further deteriorating already fragile relations. This time, it has stooped to an even lower level—rolling out the red carpet for the notorious Islamic evangelist and terror-linked fugitive, Zakir Naik. Naik, a controversial figure accused of radicalizing Muslim youth and inciting extremism, landed in Pakistan to a hero’s welcome, greeted warmly by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other high-ranking officials. This move not only signals Pakistan’s open embrace of radicalism but also underscores its contempt for global counterterrorism efforts. By sheltering a known extremist, Pakistan is making a mockery of international law and reaffirming its status as a haven for terrorism. The timing of this act is telling. Pakistan is already teetering on the brink of collapse—economically crippled, politically unstable, and grappling with internal strife, particularly in Balochistan, where separatist movements threaten to further fracture the nation. Yet, instead of focusing on salvaging its crumbling economy or stabilizing its failing government, Pakistan’s leadership has chosen to court controversy, further isolating itself on the world stage.
India has rightly expressed outrage over this reckless provocation. Naik is a wanted fugitive, accused of indoctrinating young minds with his venomous ideology. His radical rhetoric has earned him bans in multiple countries, including India, yet Pakistan, in its desperation, has given him a platform to spread his dangerous agenda. This move is not just an affront to India—it is a blatant challenge to the global fight against terrorism. Naik’s controversial presence in Pakistan was further marred by his misogynistic and regressive views when he stormed out of an event honouring orphaned girls simply because they were referred to as ‘daughters.’ His archaic ideology is precisely what India has sought to eliminate, and Pakistan’s decision to elevate such a figure only deepens its descent into extremism. The writing on the wall is clear: Pakistan is playing with fire. By sheltering terrorists—whether Sikh separatists or Islamic radicals like Naik—it is deliberately provoking India, perhaps under the delusion that it can continue to do so without consequence. But the India of today is not the India of yesteryears. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decisive leadership, India has made it abundantly clear that it will not tolerate tail-wagging misadventures by its neighbours. The world has also taken note, with even the United States endorsing India’s right to handle its security concerns with an iron fist. Pakistan, already crumbling under its own internal pressures, seems to be hurtling toward disaster. If its leadership continues down this path of reckless antagonism, it may well force India’s hand into actions far stronger than ever before. Is Pakistan so blinded by its anti-India obsession that it is willing to risk balkanization? If so, it must brace itself for the inevitable consequences of its own folly. The message is clear: India will not hesitate to act decisively against threats, and Pakistan is running out of time to change course before it invites its own ruin.
