It is humanly impossible for a person to live in India and hide in Pakistan (editorial “Terror and error,” May 19). Yet that is exactly what Wazhul Kamar Khan has done, if the government's list of 50 “most wanted fugitives” handed over to Pakistan is anything to go by. The error has occurred due to India's over-reliance on dossiers to nail Pakistan's lie that it does not harbour terrorists. It will now be easier for Islamabad to cite the Wazhul Khan incident to deny New Delhi's charge.
G. David Milton,Maruthancode
The royal goof-up has indeed left many people red in the face. However, I strongly disagree that the sole window for public pronouncements and unofficial briefings ought to be the Ministry of External Affairs or the Prime Minister's Office. The very fact that the goof-up has been exposed shows India is the last bastion of journalistic freedom in this part of the world. The outcome of the episode only brings good to the system. Now, government officials will be much more careful in doing their homework.
I.H. Michael,Hyderabad
The inclusion of the name of Wazhul Khan, who is staying openly in Thane, in the list of fugitives given to Pakistan is preposterous. The credibility of the list will be questioned now by not only Pakistan but also other countries and the international media. Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram's casual reaction is unfortunate.
K.C. Mehta,Vadodara
If the boasting by the army and the DRDO about India's military capability to mount an Abbottabad-style operation is amusing, Pakistan's threat that it has even identified targets in India is alarming. While India is reactive in security matters, Pakistan has always been proactive, especially with regard to India. New Delhi can take comfort from the fact that no large-scale terror attack has taken place after 26/11. But it may be due to diplomatic pressure on Pakistan and the establishment of deterrence. And low-yield tactical nuclear weapons could well be that deterrence.
Syed Mohammad,Chennai
New Delhi has committed a serious blunder and made even our genuine demand look very weak. One wonders how Pakistan will react to the goof-up, given that it has hardly paid heed to any of our demands in the past.
Mohammad A. Maktoom,Mathura
What a diplomatic embarrassment for India! As such, Pakistan had not made much progress on turning over the fugitives even though the list was handed over to it two months ago. The latest goof-up will provide another opportunity to it to procrastinate. It can even claim that the entire list is questionable and that India should be checking within its borders. The lesson for India is not to bask in the glory of Pakistan's recent misfortune.
Varad Seshadri,Sunnyvale
