It is ironic but two unfortunate
terror strikes have come as the opportunity cost to show verbal restraint in
India-Pakistan ties - something that should be identified as a 'real time real'
development in India-Pakistan thaws.
First it was Pathankot terror
strike in India - on Pathankot air base - near the Pakistan border in Indian
state of Punjab. The terror strike that began early in the morning of January 1
when, like the whole world, India, too was welcoming the New Year and went on
for quite some time. The attack had clear Pakistani imprints (and footprints,
literally). Though the attack did not cause much damage, it dragged on for hours and caused irreparable loss with
seven Indian soldiers martyred.
And first time in the known
history, at least in the recent times, Pakistan reacted sincerely to the leads
points its hands there - even if it was under pressure to do so - under US pressure
- and under the pressure of Narendra Modi's surprise Lahore stopover and
diplomacy that ensued.
Pakistan condemned the attack and
its prime minister's office released a statement saying Pakistan was seriously
working on the leads provided by India and several Jaish-eMuhamman operatives
were arrested. The statement also said that a Special Investigation Team was
constituted for comprehensive probe. JeM is a Pakistan based terror group that
is behind this attack on Pathankot. Its chief Masood Azhar, who was in Indian
jail, was swapped in 1999 Kandahar hijacking incident.
It's true that we cannot expect
much from Pakistan. That is visible from its flipflops on Masood Azhar's
arrest.
But we need to appreciate the
restraint shown. Pakistan's ruling establishment and even its military have
tried to look sincere this time. Yesterday, a report came that Pakistan had
assured the US of no doublespeak in Pathankot terror probe on its soil.
Let's give Pakistan some time to
see what it comes with - as it time and again - after the Pathankot air base
attack incident - has reiterated that it will reveal something concrete once
the probe is finished.
India bashing was regular in
Pakistani media - as usual -as expected - as the stories planted on crackdown
on JeM and Masood Azhar's arrest.
The second indicator came today -
with terror strike at Bacha Khan University in Charsadda district in Pakistan's
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province (KP). Around 25 people were killed when terrorists
attacked the University founded in 2012 in the name of Gandhian Khan Abdul
Gaffar Khan or Frontier Gandhi.
Like has been the practice in
Pakistan, blaming India blindly for every terror strike, was not the case
today.
No one in Pakistan's ruling
establishment, including its civilian government and its military, rushed to
blame India today - and that was very
sincere.
In fact Nawaz Sharif responded
sensitively to Narendra Modi's message in this crisis hour saying “this
incident is yet another reminder that terrorism is our common enemy and a
cooperative approach is essential to eliminate it from the region.”
Yes, as usual, a section of
Pakistani media has been on an overdrive to prove Indian hand in Bacha Khan
University attack - blaming Indian Embassy in Kabul and providing some phone
numbers that were used - but that looks more like a 'tit for tat' - with India's
actionable evident provided to Pakistan in Pathankot attack incident. Hope,
Pakistan government it's all powerful army would not go into that rhetoric.
Pakistan's ruling establishment
knows that linking India to attacks in Pakistan is nothing but to appease the elements
in its domestic politics - and the time is not opportune for that. Promoting unrest
in India has been a state policy for Pakistan while India has always been a responsible
democracy.