The New Nation - Internet Edition

NOTHING could be more dangerous for the peace and security of India and Pakistan and the South Asian region as a whole than a full-fledged confrontation between the two when after decades of animosity they seemed to be well set on a path of normalisation of relations. India's reaction to the Mumbai carnage was too hasty. The declared identities of the attackers as India-based terror groups was too quickly rejected. The Indian Prime Minister was too hasty to warn the neighbours in tough language but everyone understood that it was meant for mainly Pakistan.

Now, after some evidence has been gathered that at least one of the attackers had origins in Pakistan, too much of the issue looks like being made. The point of origin does not necessarily mean the country or its government sponsor terrorism. As it is, Pakistan is fighting terrorism on its own soil and sustaining casualties at regular intervals. India also has its own extremists running violent insurgencies for different causes. There are also terrorism networks across borders. Thus, pragmatism demands that terrorism needs to be seen as a common problem for both India and Pakistan as well as the entire world.

Instead of seeking a regional response to the problem with everybody's cooperation, Indian authorities seem bent on pinning the blame on Pakistan exclusively. This has naturally caused angst in Pakistan. Pakistan government has refused to send to Delhi their intelligence chief; their foreign minister has also cut short his trip to India in a clear expression of dislike for his host's reaction to the Mumbai incidents. Thus, relations between the two countries are set to nosedive and this would be counter-productive for both of them.