Editorial: Pakistan’s Sincerity to War on Terror

After describing India’s sixth dossier on 26/11 evidence as ‘rehash’ of previous ones and terming Interpol’s Red Corner against JuD chief Hafiz Saeed as ‘not bounding’, Pakistan’s latest position on the issue, as clarified by Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Bastit on BBC radio, is that it is quite serious to bring the perpetrators to reckoning. Only hours before, Union Home Minister in India had spoken about the possibility of state actor in no-action against Saeed.

In India, Saeed’s release was largely construed as Pakistan’s double standard in war on terror, argument being that Islamabad appeased the US by army offensive against Taliban – which caused dissatisfaction in a considerable section of population – and released Saeed with an expectation of not receiving much criticism of the act from its ally which has certified its commitment to war on terror.

Pakistani media, even few India journalists, accused Indian media of jumping to the conclusion without giving a thorough thought to the matter, that is, thinking over it from Pakistan’s perspective. They argued that army offensive against Taliban has caused much displeasure and coming down heavily on Saeed would only add to it, making things worse for the Pakistan government.

However, Pakistani media, even few India journalists, accused Indian media of jumping to the conclusion without giving a thorough thought to the matter, that is, thinking over it from Pakistan’s perspective. They argued that army offensive against Taliban has caused much displeasure and coming down heavily on Saeed would only add to it, making things worse for the Pakistan government. Also, there was argument of judicial system progressing at its natural, say sluggish, speed. In a nutshell, they wanted to say that Pakistan government is quite sincere to ensure punishment to perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attacks.

Following Interpol’s Red Corner notice against Saeed and Pakistan’s sustained frigid response to it, even the little Indian intellectual space that accommodated aforementioned justifications for Pakistan’s inaction against Saeed has diminished, though it was already ridiculous in that Pakistan government could withstand public dissatisfaction for killing thousands of Taliban but was unable to do so in punishing a handful of people.

India will easily believe Pakistan’s sincerity towards ensuring punishment to the culprits if it does even a fraction of what it has done for the US – army offensive against thousands of Taliban.