Friend or foe?

 

 

For the first time India can hope to nail Pakistan’s lie on sponsoring terrorism across the border. India is expected to present the arrest of two Al-badr terrorists in Mysore, as irrefutable evidence of Pakistan’s hand behind growing militancy in India, during the Foreign Secretary-level talks between the two countries from 13 November. So far, all India could lay its hands on was mutilated bodies of Pakistani suicide bombers.

One of the arrested militants, Mohd Fahad, came to India on a 45-day visa in November last year. Fahad holds a Pakistan passport (A8179481) issued on 10 November 2004 at Karachi. The police have also got his citizenship number (42101871794855), which is issued to every Pakistani citizen and noted on their national identity card. He has MSc in analytical chemistry from Karachi University and has expertise in handling explosives. The Kashmir police was on the lookout for the other extremist, Mohd Ali Hussain, for killing three military personnel and 17 civilians. His name figures among the most wanted terrorists submitted by India to Pakistan.

Union Minister of State for Home Sri Prakash Jaiswal claims that Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon would produce the documents seized from the two terrorists as evidence of Pakistan’s involvement during the forthcoming talks.

Pakistan, however, is trying to shift the focus from terrorism to Siachen. Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasoori has hinted at a breakthrough on Siachen during the talks. “It all depends on political will of the Prime Minister of India”, he said recently. External Affairs Ministry officials in India were quick to rubbish the claim. “Confidence building measures are necessary but first Pakistan has to stop aiding and abetting terrorism in India”, said a Foreign Ministry spokesman in New Delhi.

Security expert Brigadier Shruti Kant says, “India has often provided evidence of Islamabad’s involvement. However, Pakistan not only rejects the allegations, it also accuses India of creating trouble in Baluchistan.”

Several security issues have been raised during a recent high-level meeting in New Delhi. The Prime Minister’s office (PMO) has instructed Home Ministry officials to deal sternly with these issues like keeping a strong vigil on the illegal infiltration through the porous borders connecting Uttar Pradesh, Bihar with Nepal and through Assam-Bangladesh border. The PMO has also issued orders to haul up the infiltrators.

India should now press ahead with the advantage of having two genuine Pakistani citizens involved in terrorism in India. It is perhaps time for India to launch a diplomatic offensive against Pakistan, not to scuttle chances of peace but to expose its shady designs in international fora. It's what any country would do.