Pakistan is unlikely to deliver justice on 26/11 — but India seems willing to gamble that the internal crisis Islamabad is beset with will compel it to keep the peace in future.
“God's acts are never irrational,” wrote Ziauddin Najam, commander of a Pakistani strategic forces division, in a 2008 essay: an essay remarkable for both the Major-General's unwavering belief in a divine project and his evident loss of faith in the doctrinal credo that the nation's nuclear weapons would ensure its survival. “Pakistan was created on the night of the 27th Ramadan”, the General went on, “and is [therefore] there to stay forever: we must have faith in it.”
Major-General Najam's despairing words could help an extraordinary effort to bring about a rapprochement in India's fraught relationship with Pakistan — an effort more than one commentator has dismissed as a consequence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's own theology of regional peace.
Last week, after Foreign Ministers Hina Rabbani Khar and S.M. Krishna met in the Maldives, the leaders let it be known that the “trust deficit between the two countries is shrinking.” Pakistan's Interior Minister, Rahman Malik, called for the hanging of the incarcerated 26/11 assault team member Muhammad Ajmal Kasab — a man he once insisted was not from his country.
Dr. Singh later addressed his critics at home: “I did discuss with Prime Minister [Yusaf Raza] Gilani whether the Pakistan Army is fully on board to carry forward the peace process. The sense I got was that after a long time, Pakistan's armed forces are fully on board.”
The claim, if true, is remarkable. New Delhi and Islamabad made multiple attempts to revive their fraught relationship since 26/11, but each floundered in the face of continued Pakistani military support for anti-India jihadists and unwillingness to act against the perpetrators of the Mumbai carnage, the Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Evidence that any of this has changed is thin — but there is some reason to believe that the Pakistan army, behind its bluster, is weaker than ever and, therefore, desperate to secure its eastern flank at a time it appears besieged from all sides.
For weeks now, Pakistan has been seeking to demonstrate its commitment to peace: the release of an Indian helicopter that strayed across the Line of Control and the tentative movement on opening trade across the border are among the signs of a thaw.
It is also clear, though, that Pakistan's military isn't about to turn on its Islamist proxies. Even though a judicial commission is scheduled to visit Mumbai to record the testimony required for the prosecution of 26/11 suspects being tried in a Lahore court, there is plenty of evidence that Islamabad continues to harbour terrorists — among them, men directly involved in the attack.
Sajid Mir, Lashkar commander who crafted the assault plan, has been reported by both the United States and India's intelligence services as operating out of his family home near the Garrison Club in Lahore; Pakistan's Federal Investigations Agency hasn't yet got around to paying him a visit. Muzammil Bhat, who trained the assault team, is claimed by Pakistan to be a fugitive, though two journalists who went looking for the terror commander in Muzaffarabad located him without great effort. Zaki-ur-Rahman Lakhvi, sole senior Lashkar operative held for his alleged role in the attacks, has continued to communicate with his organisation from prison. Pakistan hasn't, tellingly, even sought to question David Headley, Pakistani-American jihadist who has provided the investigators with a detailed insider account of the attacks — including the role of the Inter-Services Intelligence in directing them.
Back in December 2008, Pakistan's envoy to the United Nations, Abdullah Haroon, promised that his country would proscribe the Lashkar's parent organisation, the Jamaat-ud-Dawa; the government lists released earlier this year, like those before them, do not mention the organisation.
Even the U.S. is dismayed by Pakistan's conduct: in a recent testimony to Congress, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton voiced concern at Pakistan's “continuing failure, in our view, to fulfil all of the requirements necessary for prosecution related to the Mumbai attacks.”
India's policy establishment has long argued that Pakistan's conduct of the 26/11 case would be a litmus test of its military's strategic intentions. So what has led New Delhi to change course?
Pakistan's hard-nosed generals do not likely share Dr. Singh's almost religious beliefs about the need for peace in South Asia. Their bottom line, though, is likely this: beset with an Islamist insurgency that has undermined both its internal cohesiveness and legitimacy as a guardian of the Pakistani state, the army just cannot sustain a future crisis with India.
In 2010, things seemed quite different: Pakistan's Army Chief Parvez Kayani bluntly told journalists that the country's relationship with India “will not change in any significant way until the Kashmir issue and water disputes are resolved.” The proclamation came in the wake of a reversal of his predecessor's decision to temper jihadist operations against India. In 2008, soon after General Kayani took office, the ISI authorised a murderous attack on India's diplomatic mission in Kabul. The Lashkar's infiltration across the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir surged. Later that year, it became clear from Headley's testimony that the ISI Directorate provided direct support for the Mumbai attack.
This aggressive posture marked a substantial change in Pakistan's strategic thought. In a thoughtful 2002 paper, scholar George Perkovich cast light on Gen. Musharraf's reappraisal of the Pakistani military strategy on India. Lieutenant-General Moinuddin Haider, who served as Interior Minister under President Musharraf, told Dr. Perkovich that he argued that the long-term costs of continuing to back jihadists would be higher than the potential losses from taking them on. “I was the sole voice initially,” Gen. Haider recalled, “saying ‘Mr. President, your economic plan will not work, people will not invest, if you don't get rid of extremists'.”
Gen. Haider gathered allies — among them the former intelligence chief, Lieutenant-General Javed Ashraf Qazi. “We must not be afraid,” General Qazi said in the wake of the 2001-2002 India-Pakistan military crisis, “of admitting that the Jaish was involved in the deaths of thousands of innocent Kashmiris, bombing the Indian Parliament, [the journalist] Daniel Pearl's murder and even attempts on President Musharraf's life.”
Gen. Musharraf listened: in the wake of the 2001-2002 military crisis with India, which imposed crippling costs on Pakistan's economy, he presided over a steady scaling back of support for the jihad in Jammu and Kashmir, and gradually cut back the backing for terrorist attacks elsewhere in India.
From Major-General Najam's article, we have some sense of how these new policies were seen by his commanders. “Pakistan's complete turnaround from its earlier policy,” Gen. Najam wrote in the 2008 issue of theGreen Book, the army's premier internal platform for doctrinal and geo-strategic debate, “brought the state into a direct clash with a sizeable segment of its society, particularly those religious zealots who had gained considerable clout and power through exploitation of religious sentiments. Also sympathetic to these religious extremists were those deprived elements of society who for long had been denied economic and educational opportunities”.
Looking back, 26/11 was General Kayani's Kargil — an audacious attempt to rebuild legitimacy with the religious right-wing and consolidate his position within Pakistan's armed forces, all by advertising his commitment to their core anti-India concerns. Kargil, though, backfired — and so did 26/11. Like Gen. Musharraf, Gen. Kayani found the Pakistan armed forces' covert support to the jihadists exposed in public — and the country under pressure.
For two years, Gen. Kayani was able to weather the 26/11 storm: the U.S. was willing to go easy on Pakistan, in return for its cooperation, however fitful, in the war against the jihadists in Afghanistan. The problem, Gen. Najam pointed out, was that a “sizeable segment of Pakistani society, rightly or wrongly, perceives Pakistan as serving [the] U.S. interest at the cost of [its] own people.” “Pakistan today,” he concluded, “finds itself in an ironic position: the more it provides support to GWOT [the Global War on Terror], the greater [the] reaction [that] develops in its society.”
In evermore desperate efforts to manage that reaction, Gen. Kayani sought deals with the jihadists acting against the Pakistani state; backed anti-U.S. jihadists in Afghanistan in an effort to secure leverage against those targeting his forces; and deepened his relationship with the anti-India groups like the Lashkar and the Jaish-e-Muhammad in an effort to befriend Islamists.
Like most trapeze acts, this one proved impossible to sustain. Following the May 2 raid that claimed Osama bin Laden's life, ISI chief Shuja Pasha angrily told Pakistani legislators: “At every difficult moment in our history, the United States has let us down. This fear that we can't live without the United States is wrong.”
Pakistan can, however, only live with so many enemies at once — and that is precisely the strategy opportunity Indian policymakers are seeking to benefit from.
Home Minister P. Chidambaram warned Pakistan in the months after 26/11 “not to play any more games.” “If they carry out any more attacks on India,” he said, “they will not only be defeated, but we will also retaliate with the force of a sledgehammer.” The truth is that the blows will have terrible costs for India also — costs that no sensible policymaker believes should be used to compel Pakistan to deliver justice on 26/11. The worst case scenario before the Prime Minister is that his peace gamble, like those before it, fails: but that would leave India exactly where it was the day before Ms Khar and Mr. Krishna met in the Maldives.
Pakistan's peace cheque is post-dated, and issued on a bank in dubious health — but with else nothing in hand, New Delhi has little to lose by accepting the promise that is being held out.
Keywords: Muhammad Ajmal Kasab, India-Pakistan relations, Anti-Terrorism Court, 26/11, Mumbai attacks case, terrorism
"Pakistan's peace cheque is post-dated, and issued on a bank in dubious health — but with else nothing in hand, New Delhi has little to lose by accepting the promise that is being held out"... Really mr Swami? You must be joking - a post-dated cheque on a dubious bank!! Would you take it personally, if someone did such a business deal with you, even if he was your neighbour??? Take a chill pill and let Kayani fry in his own stew. Read the riot act to Pak - want a helping hand then deliver all 26/11 planners, including ISI heads. All lessons in all Madrasas and scholls to stop teaching Jihad and anti-India and Hindu stance. If not -take a walk. Kayani has to make an open apology in a press conference, like he did then, also their ;stooge'Mr Musharraf. Then and only then, after they have delivered on all issues should India walk the 'Peace process" Path.
At a time when the whole world is seeing what we in India have known for the last 20 years - that the Pakistani state is a sponsor of terrorists - and the West has started exerting pressure on Pakistan to change its ways, what does our government do but extend the hand of peace!! Bravo, another self-goal in the long list of foreign policy blunders!
There are powerful elements in Pakistan who hate India and will never stop trying to grab Kashmir - whatever agreement both governments may come to, these elements are not going to sit quietly. And to call Zardari and Gilani 'men of peace' is delusional. India has to treat Pakistan like South Korea treats North Korea - a neighbouring country led by crazies whom you can't negotiate with. We have to wait for the day when Pakistanis realize the harm done by these crazies and take their country back...
I honestly feel an Israel like approach may work better than present approach; or talk as insincerely as other party yield nothing till a quid for quo is adopted by the other party. Being nice is only towards gentlemen...
India is home to 150 million muslims, many of whom are well integrated to the national main stream. The majority of Indian Muslims certainly want India-Pakistan rapproachment, even though they are fully aware of the double game Pakistan is playing. Muslims in India do not hate Pakistan, even if they have deep roots in India. It is for this reason that I believe that a rapproachment will take place. Indians should use fellow Indian Muslim citizens as India's secular face to win this face off with Pakistan. I believe Pakistan recognizes that the extremist frenzy to which they subscribed over the past sixty plus years has backfired on them, and this backlash has happened because of India's policies of restraint and democratic values. Pakistan has used up almost all their tricks and resources in their anti-India campaign, and got nothing in return except bitter divisions within. In the end, the realization that good relations with India can bring more good than enmity may lead to peace.
Basically Indian Policy for Pakistan is somewhat like a student who do not study throughout the year and then goes to an astrologer for good luck. It never worked and will never work. War may not be fasible but India should pay pakistan back in its own coin.... till the state implodes.
Will India never learn?! Vajpayee was led up the garden path with nonsense in Agra while Musharaff planned Kargil. The same story again, this time Pakistani duplicity aimed at mollifying the US by showing relations with India are improving. On the ground, no action whatsoever against terrorists who attacked India and are planning more assaults while Krishna and Singh stumble in the usual Indian way!!
A nice article ! India must be very cautious in dealing with Pakistan without any influence by USA,who is not afriend of India.
We must think with our heads but use weapons of the heart.Do not underestimate the soft power we possess.Medical aid ,student exchange programmes,Bollywood inviting more and more talent from Pakistan,helping flood victims,trade....may be the mindset of a section of people will change and they may convince some more...and may be I am a dreamer
When there is so much history of distrust fueled by the hawks in both Pakistan and India, is it ever possible to usher in peace? Negotiations but not wars or war of words wold solve the issues of either Kashmir or river waters. India must take all measures to protect its citizens and expose the Pakistan's complicity in attacks by terrorists in international fora.Pakistan should move towards better democracy rather than promoting terrorism that is like a double-edged word.
Good article. So long as the Pak military controls affirs in Pakistan, India cannot afford to let its guard down. The Pak military is responsible for the Kashmir problem and the deaths of so many innocent people there as the following statement from the former chief of the ISI makes clear.
“We must not be afraid,” General Qazi said in the wake of the 2001-2002 India-Pakistan military crisis, “of admitting that the Jaish was involved in the deaths of thousands of innocent Kashmiris, bombing the Indian Parliament, [the journalist] Daniel Pearl's murder and even attempts on President Musharraf's life.”
The nation no doubt needs to have friendly relations with Pakistan but to sustain that very motive, we need to look at the security as well.All the Indo-Pak peace efforts keep going down the drain thanks to Pakistan military's intervention behind the scenes.
I agree with Mr. Swami's assessment of the recent flexibility on Pakistan's part in its dealings with India. It is a just a tactical move to ease pressure on its eastern flank when it is busy dealing with the US in its western border. Pakistan would resort to its usual ways of proxy war through Jihadists as soon as the stand-off with the US eases or it is neutralized somehow.
Pakistani army is not willing to ditch its Jihadi proxies and so long as they stick with that tactic there is little hope of long term peace. India having no other choice under the circumstances would have to play along the charade. I just hope that PM Manmohan Singh understands the reality and doesn't let India's guards down. As someone said before "Trust but verify".
There can be no peace between India and Pakistan for a long time to come. With the exception of few liberals most Pakistani citizens hate India passionately. It has to do with the way they are brought up and educated in their schools both public and religous. It may be an eye opener for some Indians to read the history the Pakistani state teaches its students. In the urdu alphabet book the letter 'Dal' is explained as 'Dushman'(meaning enemy)and depicted as a hindu with a tika on his forehead. Their military schools organise special classes to teach their soldiers how treacherous, deceitful and cunning Hindus and Sikhs are, with made up stories. My point is that hatred for India is bred deep into their psyche. That is not going to change. My submission is that India's interests will be well served by working towards disintegration of Pakistan into four or five countries. Some in the west have come to the same conclusion. Till then peace with Pakistan is a mirage.
If India has to prosper, then we need neighbors also doing well economically. If our neighbors have to prosper they need to embrace a progressive path. Pakistan should focus on its own internal socioeconomic issues and develop a progressive society and weed out religious extremism from its educational system.
From India's perspective, we should start resigning to the fact that you can't make someone love you by force. Hence, Kashmiri's should be allowed to choose what they want to do. This will ease lot of strain on the limited resource we have and can be used productively else where.
Practical approach is the need of the hour, if India keeps spending more time on Pakistan & Kashmir issue, we may loose track on our economy and competitiveness to the Chinese.
The real threat to India is our own economy and competing with Chinese in terms of productivity. Open you eyes and see around, China is investing in all our neighboring countries and making them dependent. LEARN FROM THE CHINESE
There is a great difference between post-2001 Pakistan and now. Then Musharraf was forced by India. But post-2008, India did nothing. It is only after Osama incident recently that Pakistan began shopping for some fresh camouflage, to fool the global audience. This is not an achievement of GoI, nor should we fool ourselves into thiking that we are "exploiting" this situation for peace. The author is also presenting the idea that Pakistani Military is just playing to the gallery of fundamentalists for its own sirvival, are we to believe that otherwise the Pakistani Military is secular and broad-minded?! The fact of the matter is that the Cold War gave Pakistan a brilliant new low-cost war tactic. Whom we call "jihadis" are merely cheap mercenaries, who can live with a little money and tons of fundamentalism and fanaticism unlike the army regulars who want a decent salary and social security!!
Perpetrators of the Mumbai attack have to be punished since laws in India and Pakistan demand that. But carrying out of this legal requirement by Pakistan will not by itself prevent any future terrorist attacks. But since 26/11, the government of India and Indian media have been mainly concentrating on the punishment issue giving little attention to the wider dimensions of the problem. It is not that nobody is aware of these dimensions. Political ramifications of these probably make them wish that these will somehow go away.
Praveen Swamy's article is excellent. A realistic analysis. Having lived in Iran for a
while & spent 46 years in Canada, I think, I can confidently say, that the mindset
in the educated people of Pakistan is very painfully, slowly, changing for the
better.
Many of them are educated in the West and see the light but the Army is all
powerful with the Mullahs. Just like the educated Iranian who will not go back and
live in the Mullah controlled homeland, Iran; the West educated Pakistani, is in the
same boat. I talk to many of them here in Canada and none want to go back for
good. In the meantime, guys like Musharraf, Kayani and the like, use the Mullahs
to their benefit, securing their positions. It is more than 6 decades since India &
Pakistan got their independence and nothing has changed. Nothing will, in the
near future, save for a miracle. Dr. Manmohan Singh & his Congress ilk should be
on their guard.
Surely 26/11 was the last straw. We cannot afford to simply give warnings to the Paks. If another 26/11 takes place, we're going to have to go in, Pak nuclear weapons or not. Nobody in their right mind, surely not even the PM, seriously believes that this apparent rapprochement between the Paks and us is going to last more than a few months. Of course we ought to, once more I suppose, give peace a chance but that sledgehammer of which Mr Chidambaram speaks must be nice and shiny, solid, to be wielded with ease and ferocity if and when necessary. The people of India refuse to live in fear.
This analysis clearly shows us it is very foolish to believe in pakistan on their approach to peace.But, as Praveen swami has opined, there is no other way to India rather continuing the dialogue because use of force not only devastate both the countries but also destabilise entire region.Unexpected warmth that is recently being offered in couple of instances like MFN status to India and a brisk release of Indian chopper which mistakenly intruded into their air space ,conceivably revealing change in attitude of Pakistan but god knows the reasons behind and how long this warmth lasts.Perhaps this may be the result of the feeling of isolation after being hit by US.Whatever may be the scenario ,this is a rare opportunity that must be exploited by both the sides for their own benefit.
To put the record straight Mohammed Ali Jinnah in his first Independence day speech(available on internet) mentioned that Pakistan came into existence on Jumat-ul-Vida(Last Friday of Ramzaan) i.e.29th of Ramazaan corresponding to 15th of August 1947.For some still unknown reason later rulers changed the independence date to 14th of August 1947 corresponding to 28th of Ramazaan. Thus the assertion that Pakistan was created on 27th Ramazaan is factually incorrect both acoording to the date of Jinnah's speech (Jumatul Vida,Friday 29th of Ramzaan) or the later modified date 14th August (Thursday 28th of Ramazaan). Someone clearly needs to recheck the 1947 calendar.
The way that the government behaves with the pak officials is foolish. Peace with Pakistan is a delusion. Pakistan was created through hate and contempt for everything India stands for. The Pak army only flourishes by creating a fictional enemy like India. India needs to be blunt and strong. Cut all ties with a terrorist neighbour, we don't need them, and warn them of severe consequences if any future terror acts emanate from Pakistan. Also the International criminal courts need to bring the ISI and Pak military heads to justice for war crimes and crimes against humanity as well as initialting and carrying out genocide in Kashmir and Balochistan as well as Afghanistan. This would stop their cosy little war games from the bunkers in Pakistan that they are hiding in.
My plea to the Government, 'Please don't trust Pakistan'. They are not worthy of anyone's trust. Pakistanis have no trust among themselves. Governemnt is suspicious of the Military, Military is wary of the ISI and ISI is clueless against the Jehadis. And the Jehadi groups of have become so numerous, there is no trust among them. In this scenario ' the deficit of trust is shrinking' stinks to high heavens.
There are a number of steps India can take to show the sticks against Pakistan. Always India seems to reciprocate violent acts with carrots. This is like giving Milk to a Snake. It always Bites. Any acts from India to outflank Pakistan, becomes non-operational with Indian media sympathetic to Pakistan and manipulated by Pakistan and lack of unity among Indian politicians. History has proved that every time our PM had tried peace with Pakistan, they have responded by upping the ante against India, perceiving India as weak. Eisntein once said that trying the same thing again and again hoping for a different result is Insanity. It looks Mr PM hasn't read this. Pakistan should understand the consequences the way a child does. So it is very important that our PM builds the legislative consensus and arm itself with tools to show sticks to Pakistan, so that Pakistan does not have any doubt on Indian intentions, lest they again try to take advantage of our largess as weakness.
No body can beat India in self delusion and living in a make believe world of our own. Such road shows by Pakistan have happened earlier and will continue to happen in future too but the end result will be another 26/11 on a hapless India. One thing seems to bypass our thought process - unless the Kashmir problem is resolved, India and Pakistan will never be able to close ranks never mind how much we may publicise rhetoric like "shrinking trust deficit" in order to fool ourselves. The irony is, neither country wants to resolve Kashmir. This was first evident at Tashkent and doubly affirmed at Shimla. If India is at all serious to ensure the country's benefit instead of the security of a particular vote bank, we should unilaterally convert the LOC in J&K from its present status of a de facto border to one that is de jure. This is par for the course since Nehru himself created the Kashmir problem by declaring a unilateral ceasefire during the 1947-48 war and thus gifted POK to Jinnah.
From time immemorial our foreign policy lacked strategic depth in that it seriously failed to decipher the Pakistani Army's designs at various time lines; particularly their professed policy of inflicting a thousand wounds to weaken India. The Muslim appeasement and vote bank politics of the Congress Party had, certainly, watered down our foreign policy priorities. Instead of standing firm on justice delivery on 26/11 Mumbai attacks, our foreign policy is again meandering in uncharted territory and loosing the focus again. Pak Army is buying time by these tactics and we are all too willing to grant their wish only to be lamenting it later. As soon as the US made a strategic reassessment of Pak's duplicity, the latter let no time to latch on to the Chinese to bail them out of the mess. If India does not gather up the courage to call a spade a spade, it does not stand a chance to become a regional power leave alone world power. At times 'hawkish' stand does bring desired result.
Pakistanis will not change their attitude towards India till the text books used in their schools are revised, as they preach anti-Indian theories and portrays India as their biggest enemy. This radical literature is creating anti Indian, extremist generations.Added to that the custom and tradition of Pakistani army pledging to destroy India provides a breeding ground for supporters of jihadist elements in Pakistan. Pakistan should come out of fear of India and embrace the modern liberal thoughts that only could save it from becoming a failure state. History is a proof of failure of extremists, they can never provide peace.
Now pakistan is talking about peace b'cos their soverignity at imminent. But we should should not go back from peace , it is right time to bring pakistan on the peace table.
A very critical analysis of the Pakistan's dire need to ease tensions with India, perhaps, more to mark time and get a respite from their own self-promoted bogey of fundamentalism and its ugly manifestations. Army's change of heart emanates from their own clout with the public taking a beating. Gen.Najam attributes this to exploitation of religious sentiments by religious zealots who had gained considerable clout and power and the deprived elements of society who for long had been denied economic and educational opportunities turning sympathetic to these religious extremists. Gen.Musharraf in his interview with Burka Dutt-NDTV also felt the need for more liberal and moderate Islamic State of Pakistan even with its laws relating to Blasphemy. He says, there is nothing wrong with the laws; but the interpretation needs to be with the right people. Imran Kahn is doing his bit for promoting liberal views. Well; India should not drop its guard, swayed by the yet to be tested trust extended.
We inherited some problems along with independence ,but to keep projecting it as a requirement for political survival is pretty stupid. India's size and population and technology level means that we should have more people think geopolitically and globally also. When small countries are able to achieve so much there should be more of companies like Reliance,Wipro,Infosys,Tata Motors,Tata steel,Mundra group and so many others.Our cities must change and project the technology of our educated young men.In about ten Years countries of the SAARC group may have permanent Technical Missions sitting in Delhi to sort out their problems.India should never get bogged down with one country sabre rattling to get attention.
'Pakistan's peace cheque is post-dated, and issued on a bank in dubious health.' A great summary of India-Pak relations, at the moment. I wonder why we should have any relationship with Pak? Close all borders with Pak and end all relations including diplomatic. Why not Praveen?
Nothing new, again a blunder of History. Today Specially in the South Asian Region relations between India-Pakistan are being just observed through the History, who said what. Today this article is no more different from that, just it is explaining the military and intelligence role in 26/11. it's an open secret that ISI and Pakistani army was behind all this, then whats new? Just difference is, writer is knowing the fact that just making some elements seeming different from the ideological stand of the Pakistan, his article may get a good way of reading. Its really disappointing. Please try to understand that till then we can't come out from the Historical theory of relations nothing can be looked in a positive or beyond that what happen in past. Truely saying about the 26/11 attack, neither Indian government will sentence KASAB nor Pakistan will ask for. Just its a situation where Indian strategy is trying to protect the future from repentance of these attacks by not sentencing him.
Can one trust Gen. Kayani and ISI chief Shuja Pasha and there continued training of terrorist and sending them to PoK to infilterate India, even when talking about peace, is a big joke. Please verify and do not ever believe in Pakistan for peace with India.
Mr Swamy, you hit the nail on its head. India has to act smart and continue pushing Pakistan to fulfil its promise to bring to justice the perpetrators of 26/11, without being hysterical. India has to learn to live with insincerity and duplicity of Pakistan. There is not even an iota of doubt in anyone's mind that Pakistan is indeed a fountainhead of terrorism and is not going to stop using terror as an instrument of its foreign policy. What Pakistan's enemies used to say about terrorism, now its allies are saying.India must not lower its guard and continue relentlessly to strengthen its internal security structure to thwart terror attack and develop muscles to give a telling blow if Pakistan dares to repeat 26/11. It is India's weak response to the proxy war that emboldened Pakistan to launch 26/11 attacks. I don't want Indian Govt to go crazy, but I don't want it to get carried away by one step forward and two steps backward MFN drama enacted by Pakistan.
Unless Pakistan makes a genuine effort to eradicate the double life, it will remain a pariah and will be an entity without progress. We can only hope that there will be a "Pakistani spring" that will affect changes for a brighter tomorrow. Pakistan has so much potential, but chooses to be at its minimal. There's very little India nor anyone can do unless Pakistanis want to be a greater country.
What bankruptcy of ideas and policy as far as the peaceniks and the wishful thinkers of India are concerned! The blood of those who who lost their lives in the attack on the Indian Mission in Kabul and in Mumbai is on their hands. Pakistan, and its military in particular, know fully well that Indians are tall in words, short in memory and shorter still in action. Till now the Jaish has only bombed the Indian Parliament. One day, they or the Lashkar or some Harakat will bomb an Indian city with a dirty weapon or some such other abomination. And we will continue to spin fanciful theories about the Pakistani military being on board efforts to foster regional peace and nauseating stuff like that. God help us!
This 'Snake and Ladder' game has been going on and on.Now and again the glimpses of light at the end of the tunnel have turned out to be mirages.It takes two hands to clap. Let's hope for the best ..but let's also keep the powder dry.
Pakistan's peace cheque is post-dated, and issued on a bank in dubious health - but with else nothing in hand, New Delhi has little to lose by accepting the promise that is being held out India has no other option,but to accept.
Excellent analysis by mr. Praveen Swami. But, then he is one of those rare journalists whose articles are always worth reading. I am already waiting for next one. Yet, I hope there is real peace between the two countries for the good of common man and woman.
There maybe a few crazies but there are no terrorists and neither any terrorist threat in the world. It is a total fabrication of the West disseminated by the lying Western 'free press' media. And those who swallow such stupid tales (e.g. Weapons of Mass Destruction) designed to implement by force Western Imperialistic aims hook, line and sinker are to be pitied like some witless morons.
Thanks to Praveen swamy for in depth article on Pakistan. Pakistan military and ISI survive on the ignorance of religious zeolites. Releasing the indian helicopter and opening up border trade are two minor things which do not shake their power The civil government is a puppet in the hands of military leaders.From side lines Mushraff from time to time releases some unworhy news to keep himself in the limelight. My own guess is every issue is a drag with Pakistan ,nothing fruitful will come out whether in the short or long term India should not have false hope.
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