By Farooq Ganderbali
No matter how much is written about the Mumbai terrorist attacks, its intensity and its effect on our common psychology will never be wiped out. The attack has left an indelible mark on our souls which will continue to haunt us till we don’t get rid of this menace of terrorism.
India’s only fault of being the victim of terrorism is that it is a flourishing democracy with breathtaking economic boom. All this makes those leaders and institutions in Pakistan more than envious who have turned their country to the verge of balkanization. Democracy is nowhere seen in Pakistan, economy is running on lifeline from IMF and terrorism has engulfed this state. So these people at the helm of affairs in Pakistan think the best remedy for all this mess is to divert the attention from these issues to some other.
What else can they do better than the acts of terror and Mumbai has been this accomplishment of Pakistani spin doctors. After the attacks they have been able to divert every single news item towards these terrorist acts and slaying of innocent lives. Having a long experience in this game they are benefiting from every possible angles.
As a united nation India seeks an explanation for the sake of our past, present and future. There is no denying the fact that India has far more capacity than needed to act against Mumbai massacre perpetrators, but we have been waiting for world to take lead. The terrorism is not a problem of ours only, whole world is in danger of being blown due to it.
The debate has been going on for declaring Pakistan a terrorist state as it has every criteria of being the one. State terrorism is defined as the violence upon a national population committed by national governments or their proxies. State terrorism can be effected directly, at the hands of national military or security forces, or indirectly, through state sponsored terrorist organisations. States can terrorise their own populations, to secure rule and suppress dissent, or foreign citizens, to support favoured or destabilise unfavoured foreign regimes.
Due to its misdeeds Pakistan fits perfectly into this particular category. India has provided enough evidence of the involvement of its national and its institutions in Mumbai attacks. Even Kasab the lone terrorist captured alive has confessed of being a Pakistani national and intricacies of terrorist plannings in that country. It is not an isolated case that Pakistan is involved in a terrorist attack. Hundreds of terrorist attacks happening all over the world can be traced to this land which has become the hotbed of Islamic extremism. The wahabi fundamentalism and violence has become its main items of export.
Hafiz Syed, Dawood Ibrahim, Masood Azhar and Omar Ahmed Saeed Sheikh have become some of its high value brand names. Its terror factories include infamous Lashker e Tayyiba and Inc. LeT has a long past of involvement in various terror activities in India including Red Fort attack in 2000, Indian Parliament attack in 2001, 2006, Mumbai local train bombings just to name a few.
Every time India has given evidence of these attacks to Pakistan and inturn Pakistan has done nothing. After Pakistan based terrorist organisation carried out a suicide bomb attack on Indian embassy in Kabul, India provided the evidence of the involvement of ISI to Pakistan but no action was taken.
Terrorism emanating from Pakistan is not only injuring India, but also hurting other parts of the world. The 9/11 attack on America, the London bombings in 2005, a foiled attempt to attack the Glasgow airport – all had some connection with Pakistan, be it the nationality of the accused or their training or funding. Pakistan banned Jamat u Dawa the parent organisation of LeT after the United Nations Security Council placed sanctions against it. But it has left no impact on the ground level as everything goes on usual for them. According to reports, JuD is renaming itself as Tehreek-e-Hurmat-e-Rasool to steer clear of these restrictions.
Even more dangerous than these militant outfits is Pakistan’s frontline spy agency ISI, which has become the epitome of terrorism. It manages terrorist operations, provided funds and other support to terrorists and uses them for its own leverage. ISI usually carries the work independently of Pakistani government usually out of its control. Some of the elements in ISI are now being openly accused of helping Taliban and Al Qaeda to make a deadly comeback. The time is not far when west will have to take a pro active approach to confront the ill deeds of ISI.The things do not rest here. Pakistan is even accused of selling its nuclear secrets to anyone who pays for it. Its father of Atom Bomb Abdul Qadeer Khan has openly confessed to it.
Keeping all these things in mind Pakistan is becoming more dangerous for the world peace than one thinks for. In the past, there have been numerous instances when Pakistan stood on the brink of being declared a terrorist state. In 1992, it came close to being named a state sponsor of terrorism in when then Secretary of State James Baker charged the-then Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of supporting terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.
The 9/11 Commission Report had also suggested Pakistan as a state sponsor of terrorism. Fearing loss of support from Pakistan government in its war on terror US had to forego the idea of declaring Pakistan a terrorist state. And that has been the dilemma of Western policy towards Pakistan ever since.
America, the oldest democracy is more concerned about its own interests than anybody else. Though it has a major role to play in declaring Pakistan a terrorist state, but its action has always been directed more by its strategic interest rather than any genuine desire to eradicate terrorism.
Wherever there has been a major terrorist strike related to Islamic militancy, the enquiry has led to the conclusion that Pakistan is involved. Pakistan cannot every time rubbish these reports . There is no denying the fact that Pakistan has become evil centre for the world. World must stand to act against this cycle of terror and declare Pakistan as a terrorist state for once and for all. Long have they confronted Pakistan indirectly it is time to move in directly and wipe out this plague.
For India it doesn’t matter who takes action against these terrorists as along as it is a genuine one. Otherwise our option of striking at the root of terrorism always stands. Being a vibrant democracy doesn’t mean that India cannot defend itself. It has successfully defended its territory and defended brilliantly during previous wars with Pakistan and they should never forget that.
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