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India adopts nuanced approach

NEW DELHI: India has unveiled a nuanced approach in dealing with Pakistan after the Mumbai terror strikes. Sources say there is a feeling that the situation is different as compared to 2001-02 when tensions were high after the attack on Parliament. There is also an understanding of the new power structure in Pakistan which is evolving and under attack by other more established power centres.

New Delhi is clear that while international pressure is a force multiplier, other nations will not be able to help India fully realise its two objectives — prevent more such attacks and try the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks in Indian courts. India is also keen on scotching speculation about a military strike being attributed to briefings by government officials. “No one in his right mind would go through this option or give the time frame which would only put everyone on notice,” said the sources while denying that India ever resorted to coercive diplomacy. “This is a different situation from 2001-02. We have not recalled the High Commissioner or sent forces to the border as was the case last time. But this is a different Pakistan in other respects as well. General Pervez Mushharaf was the chief executive officer of Pakistan as well as the Chief of the Army Staff, but now the formal authority appears to be separate from the real one,” they said.

India does not want to enter into a debate into the extradition of suspects and is not even keen on discussing the people it would want to be sent for trial because that would “trivialise the main issue.” Having given evidence in the past and having seen how Islamabad has dealt with Interpol’s previous red corner notices, New Delhi feels it is now Pakistan’s turn to prove its sincerity in rooting out terrorism. “The world also is waiting, otherwise there would be consequences,” the sources added.

Apart from the changed situation in Pakistan, investigators here have noticed a change in the Lashkar-e-Taiba’s operating behaviour. Although the LeT is Pakistan-based, created by the Inter-Services Intelligence and used in Jammu and Kashmir, its operations have now been detected in Sudan, Chechnya, Iraq and Afghanistan. There are also some reports of its plans to link up in South East Asia. “It is beginning to look like the Al-Qaeda,” the sources said.

India agrees that part of the purpose behind the attack was to get out of the war in the west with the Taliban. “It is possible that this could have been used to relieve pressure. One can’t prove these things but if you examine the way a section of Pakistan has reacted by creating a hysteria about air intrusions, hoax calls and military build up on the border — there is an obvious interest in trying to move away from the west. The more we see them reacting, the more it indicates either involvement or cover up,” they said.

“The conclusive part is how one section of Pakistan reacted. Who created the war hysteria? Who gave the civilian government of Pakistan a bad name? At the same time, it is important to see what Pakistan is capable of doing because some bits don’t want to go down the Jehadi-ISI road,” the sources added.

After the “unhappy experience” with the UNSC in the past, there is a “built-in resistance” to taking that approach again. “We didn’t go to the UNSC. There was a requirement for two years. We are not expecting other countries to do 100 per cent of what we like. They might do some of what we want but not all … ,” asserted the sources .

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