The Hindu : Front Page : “No worthwhile action to curb terrorist attacks on India”

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Wednesday, Jul 08, 2009
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“No worthwhile action to curb terrorist attacks on India”

N. Ravi

Rome: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is expected to make clear in his bilateral meetings with world leaders assembled here for the G8 meetings the Indian assessment that Pakistan has not taken any worthwhile action to stop terrorist attacks on India from its soil.

While the focus of the meetings in the town of L’Aquila is on economic recovery, trade and climate change, the question of India’s relations with Pakistan may well come up in some of the bilateral meetings including the one planned with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. While India continues its talks with Pakistan, the focus of the talks is on terrorism.

The composite dialogue process was suspended after the attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul. The Indian stand is that it cannot be restarted until there is credible evidence that Pakistan is bringing the perpetrators of terrorist attacks against India in Mumbai to justice and has dismantled the infrastructure in the territory under its control that is being used for terrorist attacks against India.

Pakistan itself faces serious problems of security internally but the Indian concern is only with the attacks on India from its terrritory. While the Pakistan establishment has moved strongly against the Taliban, no worthwhile action has been taken against the groups involved in attacks against India. Worse, there is some evidence of collusive activity by some sections of the Pakistan establishment.

Pakistan has told India that it has taken into custody five of the main perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks and nine others who were involved peripherally. In addition, 22 persons have been declared proclaimed offenders. More than in its judicial process, India was interested in the outcome and in concrete actions on the ground.

Senior Indian officials feel that there is a general understanding and appreciation of the Indian position among world leaders. In any case, Indian public opinion would not support a full scale dialogue or business as usual unless the terrorism issue is addressed first and Pakistan takes credible action.

As for the increased American aid to Pakistan, India has never objected to any aid that would lead to the betterment of Pakistan. But some elements of the latest aid package, particularly the equipment, have given rise to concerns that they are not designed to fight terrorism. Such concerns have been raisesd even in the United States.

Egypt meet

The Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan are to meet in Egypt on July 14 to discuss the terrorism issue. Their reports after the meeting will form the basis of talks Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will have with Pakistan Prime Minister Gilani when they will decide how the talks will proceed.

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