Return of Indo-Pakistan Antagonism

THERE has been massive uproar in India as well as in USA and western world over the recent Mumbai carnage which resulted in the loss of 164 lives and damage to two luxury hotels.. Surprisingly such feelings of anger together with compassion by sympathisers of India never get generated when the victims are Muslims. No eyebrow was raised when Babri mosque was demolished in Ayodhya in 1992 by Hindu extremists and Indian Muslims were vandalised in thousands. No concern was shown when state sponsored massacre of 2000 Indian Muslims in Gujarat took place. Brutalisation of Kashmir by Indian security forces for the last 20 years resulting in massacre of 100,000 Kashmiris and rape of 8000 young girls has evoked no feeling of empathy. Barbaric burning of 69 Pakistani passengers in Samjhota Express train in February 2007 was lumped on ISI and evoked high-pitch resentment among Indian public and leadership but now when it has been proven that Hindu terrorist group under the direction of Lt Col Purohit and Major Sharma of Indian Army was involved, it did not fuel anger of Indian public. The case has reportedly been hushed up after the cold blooded murder of anti-terror chief Hemant Karkare and two police officials in Mumbai on the night of 26 November who had unearthed the racket. Purohit has been released on bail and the case hushed up.

Pakistan experiences suchlike home-grown and foreign sponsored catastrophes very frequently and each terrorist act claim scores of innocent lives. US dictated counter insurgency operations in FATA and in Swat are spilling blood in abundance and destroying houses and property of the people. Over 300,000 people of Bajaur, Mohmand and Swat are living in makeshift camps under extremely difficult conditions for the last three months. Hundreds of innocent civilian men, women and children have been ruthlessly killed by US drones and their houses razed to ground. Missile attacks by pilotless drones are worst form of terror which should have been collectively condemned by the civilised world. However, it is ironic that not a single voice of admonishment has been heard. On the contrary, hue and cry is made on suicide attacks which are not as cruel as that of drones. Now India is also itching to emulate USA since the civilised world by remaining mum has legalised drone attacks. Likewise, no concern is ever expressed on the hair-razing atrocities perpetrated by Israeli security forces against the Palestinians living in Gaza and Palestinian issue remains unresolved since 1948. USA, Israel and India are the biggest perpetrators of state terrorism but no country picks up courage to say so but is quick to join them in condemning those who offer resistance to state terrorism.

Taking advantage of the heated situation, USA approached UNSC to get certain retired and serving officers of ISI including Lt Gen Hameed Gul declared as terrorists. A highly respected officer, Gen Gulʼs only fault is that he expresses his point of view forthrightly and doesnʼt espouse the cause of USA. Sinister design behind this move is to get ISI declared as a rogue organisation. India too approached UNSC to ban three religious groups in Pakistan namely Jamaatud Daawa (JuD), Al-Rasheed Trust and Al-Akhtar Trust. The three organisations are engaged in charitable works and have no connection with Kashmir based Lashkar-e-Taiba that was banned in December 2001. India is making concerted efforts to get UNSC clearance to conduct aerial raids inside Pakistan against alleged training camps and to facilitate extradition of 20 persons accused of having link with Mumbai incident. Well knowing that the listed persons which it has been demanding since 1993 have no connection with Mumbai case, India is deliberately dramatising it. India argues that if Pakistan had handed over 600 wanted foreigners and Pakistanis to USA and has allowed drone attacks why should India be deprived of such concessions.

On the basis of evidence collected from lone terrorist Kasab, India brazenly accused Pakistan of its complicity in Mumbai attacks. It said that all the ten terrorists, nine having being killed, were Pakistanis and trained in Pakistan. It said that the ISI was in cohorts with Kashmir based Lashkar-e-Taiba which was banned in December 2001. It has been constantly castigating ISI since early nineties and blamed it for every terror act that took place in India including the one in Kabul against Indian Embassy in July. It has now named certain former ISI officers involved in terror activities. Condi Rice on her visit of Islamabad prodded Pakistan to take physical action to assuage Indian anger and to arrest Gen Hameed Gul. Till the writing of this piece, no evidence has been provided by India, but it approached UNSC on the quiet and got JuD declared as a terrorist outfit. The UNSC moved with exceptional alacrity and banned the three outfits and put its leaders on watch list on 10 December.  

Despite Pakistanʼs balanced and diffident response to Indian belligerence after the Mumbai attacks in which Pakistan is persistently being blamed, India seem in no mood to defuse the highly tense situation since it has a plan up its sleeve to implement and USA and Israel are party to this grisly plan. Mumbai episode provides raison dʼetat to tighten the noose which the three had cleverly laid around Pakistan neck after 9/11. After upping the ante on the media front and exerting pressure through US-western media and its officials, India has now put its air force on high security alert forcing Pakistan to do the same. Its aircraft intruded into Pakistan territory near Lahore and Muzaffarabad on night of 13 December but had to beat a hasty retreat after they were chased out by PAF. Pakistan has repeatedly pledged to provide all sorts of assistance to India including joint investigation to help solve the tangle and has sought proofs substantiating their allegations but India is keen to have its way without providing any concrete proof.

In line with policy of appeasement of Musharraf, the elected leadership has decided to calm down the raised tempers of India and also to honour UNSC Resolution. On 11 December, Jamaat-ud-Daawa (JuD) was banned, its offices sealed and a massive crackdown was launched against its members. Hafiz Saeed, Maulana Azhar and other prominent leaders have been placed under house arrest. Further steps would be taken to snuff out the embers of hate and war mongering not realising that these embers will not get extinguished by taking an apologetic stance or by depending upon Pakistan’s adversaries for their safety. Indian PM has already stated arrogantly that these steps are too insignificant and Pakistan needs to do much more to satisfy India. The government has justified its knee-jerk response on the plea that it is obligatory for all UN members to implement UNSC resolutions. If so, why UN resolution on Kashmir is pending since 1948? President Zardari is insisting on provision of concrete evidence to proceed further and assured the world that anyone found involved in Mumbai terror would be dealt with severely but has ruled out extradition of any Pakistani.

Like fundamentalism, extremism and terrorism, a new term of non-state actors has been coined by USA to whip the targeted states with. Our leaders have promptly bought it and have started to see non-state actors as stateless persons under the illusion that it would save them from the US wrath. They fail to appreciate that under this term, US drones and maybe Indian drones would be free to hit targets of their choice anywhere in Pakistan. Why non-state actors are restricted to Pakistan only? There are large numbers of Indian terrorists wanted by Pakistan and some have been arrested. Would India extradite the wanted terrorists or would UNSC order their extradition? Judging from the bellicosity of Indian leaders, the old Indo-Pakistan antagonism seems to have returned.

The writer is retired Brig. His articles are being widely commented in number of foreign newspapers. Email: ah.raja@yahoo.com