So, for now, the Indo- Pak peace process remains impacted, whatever the Pakistan Government or for that matter the US may say. Mumbai blasts have taken its toll in physical terms by killing 200 persons and maiming about 800. It has also affected the relationship between India and Pakistan, even though it may be a temporary phase. The Foreign Secretary level talks have been postponed and many other CBM’s are in peril. Even the sporting events have not been spared. The Indo-Pak Peace Cup Snooker Championships slated for September in Delhi and the Indo-Pak Kabaddi series this week in Jalandhar have also been postponed.
The fall out was natural in the wake of ghastly tragedy that struck Mumbai on 7/11. Pakistan, on its part, has been denying that it has a hand in the blasts. This, after its Foreign Minister Khursheed Kasuri linked the blasts with resolution of disputes between the two countries! Even though he did not name Kashmir, the reference was clear. His was in fact a warning that unless Kashmir issue is resolved such incidents would continue. That President Musharraf came out in open condemnation of the blasts could be part of the strategy to speak in different voices to serve different objectives.
The US is still not convinced about Pakistan’s involvement in the blasts. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher in an interaction with foreign journalists in Washington said “I know there is speculation. That happens in these cases. But I think we need to be led by the evidence before we start trying to draw conclusions”.
The US ambassador in Delhi David Mulford too spoke of a linkage between the Mumbai blasts and the resolution of Kashmir dispute though he qualified it by saying that “it is too early to be precise.”
The G-8 Summit in St. Petersburg condemned terrorism, as usual, but did not name Pakistan, even obliquely. The disappointment among Indian circles therefore is quite natural. No body has ever refrained from using strongest possible words against terrorism. Even those guilty of indulging in it say so for the record.
Indian Government is certain about Pakistani hand and says it will come out with evidence at an appropriate time as it has done in the past. True, nothing can be done until concrete evidence comes up. But what about the prima facie evidence. Can the world sit silent watching things helplessly till then?
The two ‘Fidayeen’ reportedly arrested by police have confessed to the crime. They are said to be part of the suicide squad and have given significant details of not only the Mumbai blasts but also the larger anti-India terror campaign that Pakistan’s ISI has entrusted to Lashkar-e-Toiba. Calls have been traced from Mumbai to Pakistan and Bangladesh on the fateful day saying “Mubarkan...Mubarkan” (Congratulations on accomplishment of the task.)
An outfit called Lashkar-e-Qahar has claimed the responsibility for the blasts. Security agencies say it is a LeT front. They are convinced that the attacks have a clear imprint of Lashkar-e- Toiba and the Pakistan intelligence agency ISI.
Pakistan may have the advantage of taking cover under the ‘evidence’ argument as most of the accused are holed up in Pakistan only. But then how did it respond to the evidence produced by India earlier in the 1993 Mumbai blasts? To this day Islamabad is denying the presence of the underworld Don Dawood Ibrahim in Pakistan, against whom even the Interpol has issued red corner notice giving his Pakistan addresses.
A new element that has come to notice is the reactivation of the ‘sleeper cells’ in India by Pakistan to create a smoke screen for itself. They have often been natives of India but moved to Pakistan and other countries and have been co-opted for ideological or ethnic reasons. Quite a few Indians have been found involved in various cases working for Pakistani terrorists. This is alarming since India has so far been claiming proudly that not a single India Muslim is involved in terrorist acts against the country.
Pakistan’s offer to cooperate in the investigations of Mumbai blasts is thus only a diplomatic cover to propagate its non -involvement in the blasts. Let the world not be taken for a ride once again by these tactics.
The world is sick of Pakistan’s ‘root cause’ theory by linking settlement of disputes to terrorism and thereby justifying killing of innocent people. Its patience is wearing thin. But will it move forward sufficiently to stop this blackmailing. No cause howsoever important can justify killing of innocent people.
Judging by Pakistan’s game plan there could be more such attacks in store. India has to meet the challenge with fortitude and patience. The vision demonstrated by Mumbai during 1993 riots in which 257 persons were killed and a thousand maimed, during 2003 bomb blasts killing 58 people and now this time has to be emulated by people in rest of the country to thwart the terrorist designs. But that does not mean mere sermons will do. Action on right lines is the need of the hour.
Courtesy : Syndicate Features
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