Rising above denials

Let’s hope that national security adviser-level talks between India, Pakistan in New Delhi soon, go beyond platitudes

So a pair of gloves worn by one of the militants in the heinous Gurdaspur massacre has let the cat out of the bag. While the miscreants were alert to remove the brand name from their clothes, one of them wasn’t, as he slipped in letting the ‘Made In Pakistan’ tag remain on his gloves. Now, to assert that there isn’t conclusive evidence of the origin of the militants does not make a lot of sense. It is also ludicrous to suggest that the militant attack was a handiwork of Indian locals who might have attached a fake ‘Made In Pakistan’ tag to the gloves to deliberately shame Pakistan. And equally ludicrous to assume that RAW would be suicidal enough to plant terrorists to hurt its own home turf.

If the assailants were Indian locals, they wouldn’t need GPS devices nor would they need to hijack a local car (they could have arranged for one!) or fire at a local bus (to kill their own!). The discovery on the gloves reaffirms Rajnath Singh’s claim based on the decoding of GPS devices that the terrorists had infiltrated from Pakistan through the area near Tash in Gurdaspur district.

For those who wish to misread this piece as a routine blame game from an enraged Indian, my fondness for Pakistan is well known among those who matter and I make no bones about it in my country. If anything, I am seen as Pakistan’s unofficial goodwill ambassador. My closest mates are Pakistanis and I travel to Lahore and Karachi frequently to visit them.

Truth be told, one can hardly blame Pakistani authorities for seeking refuge in denials, but that is not the way forward for a nation, which is a victim of fact over perception. It is obvious that the government will not admit to its inability in containing terrorism. The monster has grown way too big, but there is hope. Pakistan’s former FIA chief Tariq Khosa’s recent statements came as a breath of fresh air. Khosa, who is no ordinary mortal of Pakistan, has stated that 26/11 was launched from Pakistani soil. Khosa’s courage is truly admirable as is that of the Pakistani media outlet for carrying such a piece.

It is important for India to exhibit maturity and not dangle Khosa’s confessions before the US-led international community with the ‘see I told you so’ kind of arched eyebrows. Instead, his statement ought to become a starting point for both the sides to accept certain uncomfortable truths about each other and find credible ways of tackling them. Let’s hope that the national security adviser-level talks between India and Pakistan due to be held in New Delhi soon, go beyond platitudes.

Tailpieces

1) If the Karachi-based human rights activist Ansar Burney is successful in re-uniting the deaf and mute Geeta with her family in India, Pakistan would do well to make a film on their very own Bajrangi Bhaijaan!

2) Shoaib Malik is fast becoming a Dubsmash ace. In his latest video, he is accompanied by an excitedly dancing Amir Khan and his visibly embarrassed wife Faryal Makhdoom. Malik mouths the popular dialogue from the film when Bajrangi Bhaijaan vows to take Munni to her homeland. Time to look at Geeta, boys!

3) According to scientists at The College of Wooster in Ohio, men who have casual sex produce better quality sperm. Well, men who have that much casual sex are more often than not, paying cash!

4) Prince Charles has warned the world that it must ‘go green or die’. This, after Charles apparently took four gas-guzzling royal helicopter flights to watch polo!

Published in The Express Tribune, August 13^th,  2015.

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