Concerned about the escalating tension in South Asia, US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice is heading to India to counsel caution to prime minister Manmohan Singh’s government
India summons Pak envoy to demand ‘strong action’ after Mumbai attacks
NEW DELHI: Concerned about the escalating tension in South Asia, US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice is heading to India to counsel caution to prime minister Manmohan Singh’s government, battling against public anger at the audacious attacks in Mumbai. She arrives here from London on Wednesday where she is attending a NATO meeting. The Mumbai attack is likely to figure in the NATO discussions.
In a calibrated response to the attacks, India on Monday called in Pakistan’s envoy Shahid Malik to South Block to deliver a message to Islamabad. The government in a statement did not use the word “summoned” to describe the call-in.
“The High Commissioner of Pakistan was called to the ministry of external affairs this evening. He was informed that the recent terrorist attack on Mumbai was carried out by elements from Pakistan. The government expects that strong action would be taken against those elements, whosoever they may be, responsible for this outrage,’’ the
statement said.
“It was conveyed to the Pakistan High Commissioner that Pakistan’s actions needed to match the sentiments expressed by its leadership, that it wishes to have a qualitatively new relationship with India,’’ the statement added. Malik met joint secretary CA Raghavan who delivered the short message. According to Pakistan diplomats, the meeting was not acrimonious.
The polite message to Pakistan was to take action. It is likely to give some time to Islamabad to get it act together and deliver. If there is no response from Pakistan, India will think of the next step. New Delhi is unlikely to do anything in haste, preferring to let the world know that it is a mature democracy which will respond harshly only if there is no response from Pakistan.
Though India is not directly blaming the democratically elected government in Pakistan, preferring instead the phrase “elements within Pakistan” the fact remains that New Delhi has neither the time nor the inclination now to keep harping on the distinction between the government, the army and elements in the Inter Services Intelligence.
It therefore wants some action from President Asif Zardari’s government. The point now is that even if Zardari wants to co-operate with India, he may not be in a position to do so. His decision to send the ISI chief to Delhi was shot down by the army. The army and the ISI still remain powerful institutions in Pakistan and a civilian government is unlikely to deliver on its promises without the consent of the military establishment.
Washington is afraid that if India embarks on a rash adventure, the Pakistan military may be tempted to go for the nuclear option. This is something which is haunting the US and other western governments.
Condoleezza Rice will fly in to the troubled region to calm deter New Delhi from taking any extreme step.. “Secretary Rice’s visit to India is a further demonstration of the United States’ commitment to stand in solidarity with the people of India as we all work together to hold these extremists accountable,’’ the White House said in a statement announcing the visit.
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