It’s ironic, Pakistan tells India to nail militants

When India and Pakistan met in Thimpu to revive the composite dialogue between their foreign ministers this spring, Pakistan asked India to do more against Hindu extremists allegedly responsible for the Samjhauta Express blasts.

This might have been ironic if it weren’t so tragic. After all, the perception of the world in general, and of India in particular, is that terrorists dominate Pakistan’s landscape at the behest of its army, which pull the strings behind a façade of civilian rule.

A rebuttal is in order. Fact: India is taking action against all terrorists, politics and religion notwithstanding. It was solid police work that first exposed the till-then unknown phenomenon of some radical Hindus resorting to terrorism. The proof of the police’s success is the fact that such radicals have not been able to carry out any further attacks.

For Pakistan to subtly link acting against those responsible for the 26/11 attacks to India cracking down on those behind the Samjhauta blasts is not just unforgivable, but smacks of a ploy to deflect attention from the fact that Islamabad has done precious little against those behind 26/11. It has not even questioned the army officers believed to have directed the attacks, let alone act against them. The trial of LeT’s Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi’s trial drags on and on.

India did well to stand firm against Pakistan’s diversionary tactics at Thimpu. It is unfortunate that the act of a few radicals is being used by some in India to score political points. It is especially unfortunate when Pakistan uses this internal debate to avoid reducing the trust deficit between the two neighbours.