The Pakistani Spectator

In an in-depth analysis on Mumbai attackers of 26/11, Ms Christine Fair - a political scientist at the RAND Corporation analyzed that the attacks though attributed largely to Pakistan LeT, doesn’t mean that India’s internal challenges are less dire.  Many Western experts feel that such precision planning and execution in the Mumbai attacks would not have been possible without the involvement of some local facilitators and handlers.  In November 26, 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, the then Indian security advisor, Mr Narayanan remained unmoved because the Indian government considered it prudent not to mention them as all the venom was directed on Pakistan. A media hype was created that blamed Pakistan within couple of hours of the attacks.  While condemning the Mumbai attacks, Pakistan denied involvement of any of its agencies hinting that it may be the handiwork of some “non-state actors” from its soil.  In fact, India was playing in the hands of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Shive Sena (SS) faction of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) who do not want to see Pakistan and India moving forward on the peace process.  India should have demonstrated restraint and responsibility at that critical time. It is in the interest of both the countries to exhibit “maturity” and “wisdom” for action and reaction to the Mumbai attacks.  The fundamentalist parties are known to have a history of blaming Pakistan and ISI for the smallest of occurrences in India, but distorting of facts to an extent to appear itself as aggrieved party may not go well with its international commitment in the fight against war on terrorism.  However, Islamabad pressed New Delhi for information on local militant outfits but got no reply despite reminders. Until recently, India has generally dismissed the importance of home-grown Islamist militant groups and has focused instead upon the Pakistan-based groups. The deadly bomb blast that killed nine people in the city of Punne on February 14, 2010, has confirmed the presence of extremists/militants on the Indian soil. The little known terror outfit “Indian Mujahideen”, which claimed responsibility for the serial blasts in Ahmedabad, Jaipur, and Uttar Pradesh on November 23, 2007, has been featured in the Punne blast..  The Intelligence Bureau claims that the Indian Mujahideen is a new ploy by terror outfits to misguide probe agencies, saying that Indian Mujahideen comprises activists from banned outfits like Harkat-ul-Jihad-e-Islami (HuJI) and the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

It will be appropriate to take a look at Punne blast in context of national interests of both countries.  Pakistan is biggest loser in this case. Why would Pakistan do this kind of act specially when Pakistan? (1) is already facing the allegation of perpetrating Mumbai carnage. (2) is encountering biggest financial crunch. (3) is fighting a very difficult war on terror along its western border.  Pakistan has sacrificed both in men and material.  In a report entitled “Pakistan Security Report-2009”, Pakistan has lost more than 1300 army personnel, while its economy has so far suffered a huge loss of $35 billions in the anti-terror campaign.  Pakistan has been a victim of terrorism; therefore, it is wrong to think of Pakistan as a perpetrator of terrorism. So, therefore, justice demands that Pakistan be appreciated, more so because Pakistan is a country that has remained frontline state in GWOT since 2001.  On the other hand, India has gained multiple objectives from this incident. Now, India will have an open license to commit state terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir on the hapless Kashmiri freedom fighters resisting India Occupied Forces for the sake of self-determination.

It is important to identify the deficiencies in Indian counter-terrorism machinery and act quickly to remove them than shifting blame on others. “Do you think India is free of militant groups?  There are lots of militant groups operating in India. India must put its house in order before placing any allegation on others for its own misdoing.  There are numerous internal insurgent Organisations who are already angered over Indian atrocities on Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, It is very worrisome that marginalization of Indian dissatisfied and underprivileged community is directly proportional to the increase in radicalism leading to the incident such as Mumbai attacks and Punne blast.  Apart from the rise of Muslims radicalism in India, Hindu extremist organizations and its leader are proliferating hatred propaganda against Pakistan, Islam or Muslim. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Shive Sena (SS) are the Xenophobic and fundamentalist party that incriminated “official Pakistan” in the macabre Mumbai attacks of Nov 26, and then stalled the composite dialogues process featuring Pakistan.  With their jingoistic policies, they have been raising frivolous and obscurantist issues at a synchronized time to stall a planned rapprochement between the two neighbourly countries – may it be snubbing of Pakistani cricketers in the bidding of IPL auction, or blocking the release of movie named My Name Is Khan (MNIK) in many theatres as the movie depicts bias against Muslims after 9/11, or using Mumbai episode by issuing inflammatory statements before upcoming Indian election in April, etc.  India media disclosed that serving Indian Lt Col Purohit along with others army officers have accepted the responsibility of destroying Samjhota Express that took the toll of 300 innocent Pakistani lives.  The involvement of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and owners of 5-star hotels “Taj Mahal”, and “Oberoi hotel” in the Mumbai attacks, cannot be ruled out completely. The murder of police officer Hemant Karkare, who was probing the Malegaon blasts, was the doing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad or Bajrang Dal.

New Delhi averts attention from home-grown terrorism when it brings in Pakistan straightaway even in the latest terrorist act at Punne. People get involved in anti-Pakistan rhetoric and lose all their composure. The real problem is the growth of terrorism on Indian soil. It is extremism and radicalism which is spreading.   Had the two countries joined hands to fight against it, people on both sides would have heaved a sigh of relief. But mistrust came in the way. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was the first one to politicise the blast. The Hindu nationalist and extremist leaders straight away blamed Pakistan for the attack and demanded to call off the talks scheduled for Feb. 25 in New Delhi.

Composite dialogue on various mutual issues including Kashmir issue, have to be prioritised. If the talks are not a way to sort out things, then should India take to arms?   America has realized after nine years of fighting in Afghanistan that Taliban can not be defeated by military means alone.  India’s threat to attack Pakistan under the garb of “surgical operation of religious seminaries on Pakistani soil”, do not go well to root out terrorism from the region. The proud verbalizations of Chief of Army Staff General Deepak Kapoor on June 27, 2009, that adequate troops were positioned along the border with Pakistan, also poisoned the environment of expected peace talks.  The hardcore politicians apparently talk about ‘peace’, are responsible for embittered India-Pakistan ties. The important lesson to learn from the Punne blast is to continue talking, whether the meeting of the foreign secretaries is a success or not. There is no option to a dialogue. India must reconsider its decision of suspending the composite dialogue with Pakistan.  The decision should not be reactionary with an understanding of political reality.  These extremist parties should not be allowed to dictate the scope and schedule of diplomatic interaction with Pakistan.  An honest and determined effort is needed to change their mindset without which no peace will be possible in either country.  The composite dialogue is the only framework that can eliminate terrorism and militancy from the region.

By I A Khanzada