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| How seriously can we take Pakistan? | | INADEQUATE RESPONSE | | Such clever dodges by Pakistan instead of warranting any optimism of reining in its Jihadi diaspora are merely aimed at buying time to wriggle out its tight corner.
Sunita Vakil
“Were we to take as much pains to be what we ought, as we do to disguise what we are, we might appear like ourselves without being at the trouble of any disguise at all”. One is aptly reminded of these famous lines by Rochefoncauld when Pakistan talks of a crackdown on terrorism notwithstanding the fact that India continues to reel under unabated Jihadi terror. Though Islamabad’s latest admission that Mumbai attacks were partly plotted on its soil may be pointed out as a silver lining by its cheerleaders, unfortunately it would be naive to view the same as anything more than an eyewash. It is not just the apprehension that the real masterminds behind the 26/11 attack will be targeted – while a studied silence is maintained on the larger issue of the state’s support to terrorism – it is Pakistan’s inability to convey sincerity that is disturbing.
One cannot argue that in the 60 years of our bilateral relations with Pakistan, the latter has become a master of lies and deception. All political parties so far have been incapable of calling its bluff. Let us understand that dangling a promise of crackdown to India is only for international consumption. After all, it is the same country that continues to unleash terror into India while pretending to be the victim of the same. It feels no compunction in rubbishing the dossier one day describing it as a propaganda rather than evidence and promising to prosecute its planners the next over the past one month, there have been clear signals from Islamabad that it is in no mood to accept harsh facts, let alone act upon them. The Zardari government’s reactions to November 26 which range from brazen refusal to belligerence do not give even the faintest clue that warrant any optimism that Pakistan terror infrastructure will be wrapped up. It was only after weeks of denials that saw subsequent sacking of its National Security Advisor Mr. Mahmood Durrani for admitting the Pakistani Nationality of Amir Kasab and under intense international pressure that Islamabad acknowledged the 26/11 attacks were launched from its shores. Now that Pakistani authorities have admitted their country’s involvement in Mumbai terror, their response could have been more forthcoming and without any riders in the form of 30 questions and request for DNA samples and fingerprints of Kasab and other terrorists. Anyone who reads the evidentiary dossier presented by New Delhi to Islamabad can see that the latter was involved in the henious attacks. Its classification of the evidence as “insufficient” betrays its reluctance to crackdown on terror operating from its soil. Ideally, in the face of such clinching evidence, Pakistan should have no choice but to hand over the wanted criminals to India, if it really wants to show concrete action. In the absence of any such gesture, Islamabad’s latest reversal can only be viewed cynically. The so called action against criminals being sheltered in its territory can be taken only as a fawning signal to the US for more concessions. It is easy to pick up holes in Pakistan’s latest dramatic reversal in the background of the fact that the country has filed cases against the perpetrators of Mumbai attacks so that they are kept in its protective custody. That way, there would be little chance that the cases would actually see the light of the day and ultimately meet a quiet burial. Though the prospect of a troubleshooter neighbour renouncing terrorism is far too enticing, it is anybody’s guess whether that Pakistani investigators would even allow the Mumbai terror trail to lead to the ISI or other such elements. Unsurprisingly, the recent Pakistani pronouncements are being met with cyanism.
Indeed, this negativity is legitimate given Islamabad’s record of reneging on its promises. This being the case, can we still hope that our neighbour is genuinely interested in ending terrorism ?
Which brings us to why Pakistan did a volte-face by accepting blame rather than pointing its finger at terrorist organisations not active on its territory ? After weeks of denial and uncermonial sacking of its National Security Advisor Ahamed Durrani for admitting that the perpetrators of Mumbai attacks could be from Pakistan, the sudden confession came as a surprise. In the immediate aftermath, Pakistan seems to have won several brownie points from the world audience which now holds out to the Zardari government the possibility of making great strides in wiping out terrorism.
It is not difficult to guess that Pakistan has been coerced by the US and Western pressure to acknowle- dge that the heinous strifes were plotted from its soil. Never before has the country been under such severe international pressure to bring the perpetrators of a terror attack to book as since the Mumbai attacks. Islamabad over the last few weeks has realised that the US, which has now undercut considerably its dependence on it for the success against Taliban, may threaten to cut off aid, which can further lead to a dip in its already precarious finances. Obviously Pakistan is exploiting Washington to consolidate its September 11 acceptability. Definitely, there is a method in its madness.
Such clever dodges may go down well with US and other Western countries that have appreciated Pakistan’s so-called departure from its traditional position but there still continues to be doubt as to how seriously can we take Pakistan’s admission and promised crackdowns? For India though the Pakistani response seems significant especially since it came after weeks of contradictions. But it also let be known that Pakistan needs to translate the rhetoric into action. “We would also expect that the government of Pakistan takes credible steps to dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism in Pakistan,” the External Affairs Ministry is reported to have said.
Though the vision of Pakistan as a progressive and modern state can only be good news for the region, India was only stating the obvious when it said that its actual response can only be gauged from the real action undertaken to address the cross-border terrorism concerns.
But at the same time, the prospect of Pakistan suddenly abandoning Jehad and terrorism seems too far fetched. There is so far little evidence to suggest that the country is serious about renouncing terrorism as a state policy. As much has been evident from Mr Rehman Malik, Pakistani Interior Minister’s statement who did not admit that there was any state involvement in terror attacks. “This is an individual act, of individuals or non-state actors. Their purpose is to create terror for their own motives . These motives need to be determ ined. Both India and Pakistan need to work it out,” he is reported to have said. The conclusion is inescapable. Pakistan is only buying time to wriggle out of its tight corner.
Though the stateme ts from across the border mark a new and bold beginning. Questions remain whether they get translated on the ground. Yet, we are hoping against hope. But it won’t get us anywhere. |
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