International coalition, which claims to wage a war against cross-border
terrorism, owes an explanation to India for their silence. The Resolution
1373 passed by the U.N. Security Council in September 2001 makes it
mandatory for all the U.N. members to thwart every form of terrorism
regardless of the motivations at work. The resolution was adopted
under the U.N. Charter's Chapter 7, which explicitly provides for
enforcement measures such as economic sanctions or military force
if a member-state does not act against those who harbour and finance
terrorism. The nation is with George Fernandes in lamenting that India's
plea for steps to combat cross-border terrorism remains unanswered.
If USA can wage a war against Afghanistan for what it suffered on
11th September 2001, it can not have different preaching to India
when Pakistan meddles with our internal security and sovereignty.
USA should ask Pakistan to restrain from escalating tension at the
Indo-Pak border. The minimum it should do is to ask Pakistan as to
what is the provocation for its enmity against India at this point
in time? If Pakistan wants to refute India's charges, let it put its
point across to the world. India should also share the evidences that
it had collected to suggest that the terrorists involved in the December
13 strike were trained and funded by Pakistan. The fact that the terrorists
are Paskitanis does not suggest that they were trained and funded
by Pakistan. The involvement of ISI should be established clearly
to the world. Evidences can be shared with Pakistan if it is genuinely
committed to act against terrorism. But its credentials struck low
ebb when it made a preposterous statement that that Indian intelligence
agencies were behind the December 13 attack on Parliament. This negated
the possibility of conceding Pakistan's demand for a joint probe.
When India is trying to defend itself from terrorist threats, why
is that Pakistan massed troops on the border? Is this not clear evidence
that Pakistan knew about the current situation in advance and prepared
for this occasion. India does not want a war, it only wants to end
terrorism. This should be encouraged by U.N., USA, Britain and other
world countries. What USA and Britain had done till today (in terms
of pressurizing Pakistan) is nothing but symbolic. More meaningful
action is expected from these countries, who claim to wipe out terrorism
from the world. USA does not need to be told that it is not difficult
to deal with terrorism, the difficulties only arose when a state adopts
it as a policy.
It is very clear that with the fall of Taliban regime in Afghanistan
who provided a protective cover for Pakistan to train militants and
wage a proxy war against India, Pakistan has no other way than to
counter India blatantly. Now, Pakistan needs a political cover for
training and staging facilities to carry out cross-border terrorism.
Unfortunately now it is pushed to the corner to take action against
its own creations (LeT, JeM). These developments made Pakistan to
go desperate and foist a war on India. USA does not require great
intelligence to understand this. Still it is keeping a strategic silence.
It is time for USA to act decisively without dilly-dallying in the
name of political diplomacy. If it continues its soft approach towards
Pakistan, history would throw mud on USA for its double standards.
If the USA and the world permit Gen. Musharraf to claim that what
is going on in Kashmir is an indigenous liberation movement and thus
outside the purview of the American injunction against terrorism,
India would not take it. It knows how to tackle terrorism against
its people on its own. If Pakistan is allowed to maintain the infrastructure
of madrassas, terrorist organisations and logistical resources which
have long been in place, it would offer alternative employment to
the hordes of defeated terrorists now flooding Pakistan.
As one columnists wrote in "The Hindu", USA has to abandon the permissiveness
towards Gen. Musharraf's double standard on terrorism. What the U.S.
has done in the name of realpolitik all these years must be undone
in the name of trying to avert war. If U.S. had achieved a higher
measure of influence over the Pakistan Government than it has enjoyed
in many years, as it claims, it is time to demonstrate that capability
by compelling the Musharraf junta to decisively dissolve the terrorist
infrastructure it sponsors and move toward serious, non-violent negotiations
with India over Kashmir and other outstanding grievances. The U.N.
and USA need to make the Pakistani leadership understand that terrorism,
as an instrument of political blackmail is no longer acceptable. Also,
the Pakistani Head must be made to understand that the lure of American
military and diplomatic favour can no longer exist as an excuse for
Pakistan refusing to engage in a sincere bilateral dialogue with India.
If this message does not go into the head of the Pakistani Head, we
have nobody other than Bush to blame for his inspirations to abet
terrorism. In that case, what is the punishment for Bush as he would
be seen to sponsor a State to sponsor terrorism?
