Tensions Mount

Tensions mount between India and Pakistan as Indian officials continue to implicate Pakistani groups in the brutal attacks that crippled Mumbai last week.  The Indian Foreign Minister, Pranab Mukherjee said he had “no doubt that the terrorist attacks in Mumbai were perpetrated by individuals who came from Pakistan and whose controllers are in Pakistan”.  While he had earlier ruled out the use of military force, his position somewhat shifted in a joint press conference with Secretary Rice where he maintained his government was “determined to act decisively to protect India’s territorial integrity and the security of its people.”  Meanwhile, Sonia Gandhi in an election rally also warned Pakistan “We have striven to have good relations with our neighbours. But this should not be construed as our weakness…If provoked we can give a befitting reply to our detractors” Some analysts believe that Congress Party’s weakened internal position might compel it to act more aggressively towards Pakistan so as to prevent the more right-wing nationalist BJP from emerging victorious on the eve of state elections.  In recent days there has been increasing talk of Indian military strikes against Pakistani targets and Secretary Rice’s visit to India was seen by some as extending tacit approval.  Following her visit, the Times of India reported the “United States has set the stage for punitive internationally-backed strikes by India against terrorist camps in Pakistan if Islamabad does not act first to dismantle them”. In response to the growing threat, Pakistani political parties displayed rare unity by closing ranks and extending full support to the Pakistani government and armed forces.  They also expressed “Pakistan’s desire to pursue its constructive engagement with India in a comprehensive manner with a view to building confidence and mutual trust….with India on the basis of settlement of all outstanding disputes”.  In addition, the Pakistani Foreign Minister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi referred to the Joint Anti-Terror Mechanism in the Havana Agreement as the preferred method of resolving the current crisis. Meanwhile, Qari Hussain, the spokesperson for the Tehreek-e-Taliban weighed in on the current situation: “We are fighting the Pakistan Army because it has launched operations in our tribal areas, but we cannot allow India or any other power to invade our country.” While the Pakistani government has pledged to extend full cooperation in the ongoing investigations, it has refused to extradite the 20 suspected militants India has demanded without proof of their involvement in the attacks.  Pakistani officials and analysts repeatedly point to the 2007 bombing of the Samjhota Express (a ‘Friendship Train’ which runs between New Delhi and Lahore) in which Indian officials were quick to blame Pakistani militant groups.  Only last month, however, an Indian Anti-Terror Squad implicated an Indian army colonel in the attack which killed 68 people.