Author: Chidanand Rajghatta
Publication: The Times of India
Date: December 23, 2001
Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf
might deny it. The Bush administration might refuse to acknowledge it.
But as far as the world media is concerned, Pakistan's role in nurturing
and fomenting terrorism is beyond doubt.
Contrary to the widespread belief
being built up in Pakistan that it is a victim of a Machiavellian Indian
propaganda, media reports across the world have begun identifying the country
as the source of terrorism. Reports, editorials and commentaries have begun
to take note of the Musharraf regime's endorsement of terrorist activity
against India. They have called for action by the General against terrorist
groups.
Notably, there are no buyers for
the rather absurd Pakistani theory that India had stage-managed the attack
on its own Parliament to pin the blame on Pakistan. While the Wall Street
Journal described the charge as laughable, the New York Times characterised
it as blithe. The Washington Post said India had "credibly blamed" Pakistan-based
terrorist groups.
Newspapers also backed India's right
of self-defence and praised its restraint, while putting the onus on Pakistan
and Gen Musharraf to crack down on terrorist groups. "Pakistan still hosts,
trains and arms terrorist groups like the ones believed to have carried
out the attack in New Delhi. President Musharraf has some serious explaining
to do in the next few days as to what role Pakistani-based groups or the
Pakistani government had played in the attack in New Delhi," The New York
Post said in its editorial.
The Boston Herald was even more
forthright, saying, "The Indian government has solid evidence that Pakistan-based
terrorists are responsible for the attack on its Parliament. If Washington
wants to avoid a war between two nuclear powers, it had better pressure
our new ally, Gen Musharraf, to crack down on anti-Indian terrorism."
