It is unclear what outcome this joint investigation will have. In a comment on the anniversary of the blasts, the Indian Foreign Minister S M Krishna has already made a comment about findings being clear and the need for Pakistan to cooperate more fully in capturing the terrorists. This is all very well, but matters are a little more complex than that. Certainly we need to get to the bottom of the affair and discover what really happened at Mumbai. Both the Indian and Pakistani versions of what happened are not quite fully believable. It is clear that there was some Indian involvement; that needs to be examined so the full story can emerge — just as we still need to know more about Ajmal Kasab and those who accompanied him on that fearful mission of death.
What is required though, is full cooperation in the matter between the two countries. This is the only way of tackling not only what happened in Mumbai, but also the wider acts of terrorism that have shaken our region too often and left terrible scars which continue to bleed. Both New Delhi, and Islamabad, need to work together to tackle these deep cuts inflicted to both countries; we must welcome the start of this process. We can say with some assurance that the events in Mumbai were linked to resentments that exist in both countries. There are interconnections between groups that operate on our soil and across the border. It is important these networks and their nature be better understood and the key issues that motivate them be addressed.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 30th, 2011.
COMMENTS (3)
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You think?!
But, Pakistani Defense minister thinks there is no proof, so he has to do nothing!
JUD (a UN banned terror organization) announces publicly, with children demonstrating in its support, that it will kill Americans and convert Pakistan to a Taliban state, and there is not even one voice from the govt. condemning it and putting the person giving hate speech behind bars.
Why would there not be more mosquitoes swarming out of the Pakistani swamps to neighboring countries, and if they do, what is the use of talking sovereignty when Pakistan can't control its territory?
Why waste time on a pakistani trip. You wil lget to interview all irrelevant people or minor functionaries who cannot be nailed for the crime. Its better to share documents and cut of all comemrcial ties. This wil force some decision making on pakistani side.
Cooperation! who are we kidding. This is a tactic to grind the Indians down. We have not cooperated on "national interest" with anyone including our own civilians!
Instead of addressing the monster of terror that we breed, we have resorted to our default position. - "we need to get to the bottom of what happened...." as if we don't know! Kasab is actually an Indian! - There is " certainly some Indian involvement ", this is to deflect the spotlight from us.
(by the way which incident did we ever get to the " bottom" of in our history? And we all know that Indians are to be blamed for everything. We know that)