Author: Editorial
Publication: News Today
Date: January 17, 2009
URL: http://newstodaynet.com/newsindex.php?id=14033%20&%20section=13
In its first ever 'official action' since
26/11, Pakistan has stated that it would sternly deal with any of its national
found involved in the terror act under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
This formal official response has come out
of the discussions between Pakistan Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir and Indian
High Commissioner Satyabrata Pal.
This follows External Affairs Minister Pranab
Mukherjee's rhetoric that the neighbour has the dirty habit of talking through
the media instead of 'officially' communicating.
But, what else can be expected from a country,
which has many 'power centres' and the civil government being the weakest
among them! Pakistan's reactions and responses for the Mumbai terror attack
so far has been audacious, confused, naïve, irresponsible and even petulant.
The country, which said that the involved
terrorists are not its citizens and later confused that they are non-state
actors, now starts saying that it would act against them and try them as per
its anti-terror laws.
Depite the UN's ban on JuD, it allowed the
terror outfit to continue its activities in a different name and also gave
full security to the outfit's leaders in the name of 'house-arrest'.
It also rejected the 'dossier of proof' given
by India and even ignored the attestation given by the US for its authenticity.
Now, it has constituted a three-member commission
headed by Additional Director General Javed Iqbal of the Federal Investigation
Agency to probe the Mumbai attacks.
When India's diplomatic initiatives against Pakistan in the international
arena has not born fruits so far, it is rather naïve on its part to believe
that Pakistan is obliged to take actions against terrorist elements in its
land.
India must understand that the hostile neighbour,
which has been perpetrating heinous attacks for decades, would never ever
help in eradication of the same.
The BJP has rightly questioned the latitude
being given to Pakistan in trying the accused without extraditing them to
India, by asking how the 'perpetrators' could be allowed to turn into 'investigators'?
Meanwhile, British foreign Secretary David
Miliband has made a skeptic remark that the root cause of terror from Pakistan
against India remains in Kasmir and that India must settle this issue first
to shut out terror.
The international community in general and
UK and US in particular have not been supportive of India despite its hectic
diplomatic efforts and it is a surprise why India is refusing to learn its
lessons!
Why should it accept the formation of a three-member
commission by Pakistan to probe the Mumbai terror attack? How can it allow
the main culprit to act as police?
Why should it agree to Pakistan's proposal
of trying the terrorists in Pakistan as per its anti-terror laws? Why India
has diluted the pressure on the extradition of the masterminds of the Mumbai
terror attack?
When Home Minister P Chidambaram has talked
about cutting all diplomatic ties with Pakistan, if needed, why did the Extrnal
Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee say that it was not the government's 'decision'
but only an 'option'?
Why can't the government go ahead and implement
the option and send a strong message to both Pakistan and the international
community. The UPA government has been talking only about 'options' again
and again, but it has not taken a single 'effective' decision so far!
India has had enough of Pakistan's rhetoric
and it has also made more than enough of the so-called diplomatic initiatives
against the hostile neighbour.
It is also more than clear that the International
community would never help India's case against Pakistan.
Any country for that matter has to take care
of itself against its own adversaries, ensuring the security of borders and
safety of people.
That is what Israel has been doing for years!
Also the history shows that the select group of 'strong' powers in the world
has been supporting only 'strong' nations and India needs to be strong and
act tough.
