After initially saying just the opposite, India has accepted that the Pakistan government had no part to play in the January 2 attack which killed seven Indian soldiers at the sensitive Pathankot airbase located close to the border. The incident, which triggered a two-day long gun fight, got 2016 off to a stormy start between the two countries, scuttling foreign secretary level talks. In the wake of the attacks Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had told the Indian parliament that while Pakistani non-state actors were responsible, they could not have carried out the audacious attack without state support. This statement by the abrasive Parrikar set the tone for the approach taken by India. Now, the retraction of this stance by the director general of India’s National Investigation Agency indicates the time may have come to examine the unpleasant Pathankot affair in a more analytical light and to move beyond the haze of blind animosity. The NIA chief has walked back his remarks somewhat since then and said that the investigation is still ongoing and that they haven’t given Pakistan a clean chit but this backtracking seems to be meant only to stave off criticism from Indian hardliners. The fact is that the Pathankot attack had hurt both countries, coming at a time when important bilateral talks were scheduled, and plunged the region back into a dangerous cold war. It is important to get to the bottom of the affair and work together for this. While the statement from the Foreign Office in Islamabad saying that the latest remarks from India have vindicated their consistent position are perfectly correct under the present circumstances, it is important that no game of point-scoring be initiated.
Islamabad has behaved with maturity and magnanimity in response to the events of January. This must continue and the effort to investigate evidence handed over by India to a Joint Investigation Team from Pakistan must be stepped up. No comment has been made so far on the value and reliability of whatever materials were handed over by India. In time we may need some transparency, even though the matter is highly sensitive. This is especially true as India is actively seeking reciprocity for the JIT visit and possibly an investigative trip to Pakistan. Since the attack took place, New Delhi has pointed fingers directly at the Jaish-e-Muhammad and its chief, Maulana Masood Azhar. The matter has been taken up in world capitals. Arrests involving the JeM have been made – but India seeks direct access to key suspects. This is obviously uncomfortable territory for Pakistan. But it is important too that we both conduct an impartial investigation and be seen as conducting one. After all, we need to move past this point in our history and begin piecing together the peace process which terrorists have again tried to disrupt. These elements must not be allowed to succeed and India and Pakistan can achieve this only by working together.http://www.thenews.com.pk/print/125400-What-next
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