India set for diplomatic showdown with Pakistan at UN; proof of Pak’s links with terror outfits to be shared

The gloves are off in the corridors of power as India gets set with its strategy of an all-out diplomatic blitz to name, shame and isolate Pakistan at various global platforms. The showdown will first begin at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) where foreign minister Sushma Swaraj will look to pin down Pakistan over its continued lack of action against militant groups carrying out attacks from its territory.

Swaraj is set to speak on September 26, just after Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif speaks on Wednesday.

The diplomatic blitz strategy, decided upon at a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, comes in the aftermath of the deadly attack against Indian soldiers in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir, on Sunday. Eighteen soldiers and four militants lost their lives on Sunday and on Tuesday, Indian forces warded off another militant attack in Uri. Reports say that 10-12 militants were involved in Tuesday’s attack.

Sources told dna that top security establishment officials, investigating agencies and mandarins of the ministry of external affairs are burning the midnight oil to prepare a booklet. This booklet will chronicle the evidence of Pakistan's involvement in various terror attacks, right from the infamous 26/11 Mumbai attacks to the recent one at Uri.

Officials say that the single point agenda of this booklet is to make the world aware that terrorism is Pakistan’s state policy and hence the country should be declared a terrorist state by the UN. The booklet would also recommend that economic sanctions should be imposed on Pakistan by the UN as punitive action, said a senior official.

Officials also added that the groundwork for this was being set with Indian delegation members at the UN planning to distribute this booklet to member countries at the UNGA well in advance of Sushma Swaraj’s speech. That way, they said, the minister would be speaking before a prepared audience and would thus have a better chance of winning over member countries to India’s side.

“All the dossiers that were handed over to Pakistan are being revisited in this booklet. Besides 26/11, the booklet is expected to include evidence gathered by Indian investigative agencies against Pakistan in terror attacks on the Pathankot airbase and Dinanagar police station. In all these attacks we have gathered irrefutable evidence to prove Pakistan’s complicity,” said sources.

The booklet will include key findings such as intercepted conversations between the 10 Lashkar-e-Taiba fidayeens in Mumbai who were being given instructions by LeT commander Zaki-ur- Rehman Lakhvi and ISI officials.

The booklet will also have the GPS coordinates recovered from the fidayeens that clearly show their journey from Karachi to Mumbai. Other material evidence that was found in possession of the fidayeens and the testimony of the lone terrorist caught alive Ajmal Kasab, and also David Coleman Headley, will pin down Pakistan’s complicity.

Similarly, in the Pathankot attack in January this year, officials say they have again managed to gather clear evidence of phone conversations between JeM terrorists and their handler Kashif Jaan. The booklet will also include the GPS tracker movements of Uri militants that shows their starting point was from Pakistan.

“The evidence gathered by us can stand up to any international scrutiny. After seeing the booklet the world community should not have any qualms about Pakistan’s direct involvement in fanning terrorism in India,” said sources.

India also received a shot in arm, when the US asked Pakistan to prevent terrorists from using its territory. US secretary of state John Kerry, during his discussions with Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday, expressed strong concern with recent violence in Kashmir – particularly the army base attack – and the need for all sides to reduce tensions. 

Some diplomats, however, opine that they are not very hopeful of gaining much ground at the UN, as they believe that Pakistan has already trumped India to an extent, by sending its envoys to various countries to lobby on Kashmir.

India has also received a setback of sorts at Non Aligned Summit (NAM) at Venezuela, a grouping of 120-member countries, where Pakistan managed to revive the distinction between terrorism and the fight for “self-determination” at the summit.

SAARC boycott could provide the first initiative to isolate Pak

India’s assertion that Pakistan is a promoter of terrorism may have found a resounding echo in the neighbourhood with Bangladesh and Afghanistan said to be planning to skip the SAARC summit scheduled to be held in Pakistan on November 9 and 10.

Though India has not made its decision known officially, sources say that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to give the SAARC summit a miss. If other countries too boycott the summit, it can give India a handle to counter Pakistan at other fora.

Bangladesh’s high commissioner to India, Syed Muazzem Ali said that no final decision has been taken yet to boycott the summit. He added that prime minister Sheikh Hasina should arrive at a decision after meeting Prime Minister Modi at an upcoming event in Goa next month.

Afghanistan’s ambassador to India, Dr Shaida Mohammad Abdali too hinted at taking a similar step.

In a hard hitting statement, Abdali said, “It is no more an issue of non-state actors that we have been hearing about. Now we have ample proof of state sponsored terrorism...The effort should be comprehensive and we should single out a country that spoils our unity and regional peace.”