The terrorists attack in Mumbai

Blog Saturday, November 29th, 2008

The events in Mumbai have rightly attracted so much attention in Pakistan as it involved huge loss of life and injury of over 340 innocent persons. The Government and people of Pakistan have strongly condemned the terrorist operation in Mumbai.

The entire tenor of coverage of Mumbai events by our private channels shows Pakistan’s expression of sympathy with the people of India, even on people to people basis not only on Government to Government basis..

Having said that one must pay tribute to our private TV channels for not only giving the Mumbai events so much objective coverage but specially for very incisive and enlightening discussions. They could do credit to the most well informed experts on international affairs and international law. They presented very balanced views and analysis of the situation, making the task of our otherwise not so well informed politicians easy .The TV did the nation the service a free and well informed Parliament could do. Every body made however two points: India should not make politics out of the terrorist attacks as Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said, and certainly not indulge in the blame game against Pakistan. No doubt India is going to have its elections soon and in an election year one can understand some irresponsibility from petty politicians but not from government leaders at the highest level.. Despite such forth right statements by the elected leadership in Pakistan condemnation of the terrorist operation, the Indian Foreign Minister Parnab Mukerji’s accusation naming Pakistan as implicated in the terrorist operation in Mumbai and Indian Prime Minister’s reference to the “neighbouring countries” as involved in these incidents leaves much to be desired in keeping with the new confidence building measures between the two countries. Most, most unfortunate response to the friendly understanding Pakistan has shown to India’s predicament. What a logic it was, when Pak Foreign Minister was in India for friendly negotiations accusing Pakistan to be involved in the incident is not a very intelligent response nor indication of understanding the new chapter Pakistan is desirous of opening with India. It means that while Pakistan wants friendship, India wants to spurn Pakistan’s good will which was visible to even most ordinary person.

At first glance the Mumbai operations seems to be an indigenous operation, planned by locals over a long time. How could outsiders have brought so much ammunition and grenade and logistic support to the most posh and thus the most well guarded premises? How could they have had full knowledge of the premises in which they operated if they were outsiders? Such heavy weight could not be carried in one day, etc. Then in India local home grown terrorism is on the rise. A number of secessionist movements are going on in India. If any body could be a partner to the terrorists it would be local administration of police and hotels. Hindu terrorism is also growing and can be cause of this incident.

Any how, to show friendliness to India to the extent permissible within international rules and law as an independent country is one thing and for Pakistan leaders to forget the limits upto which Pakistan can go to cooperate with India to help in enquiring the entire incident is another thing.. In this connection the instructions for the DG ISI to go to India and place himself at the disposal of the Indian authorities is incorrect. In this connection any expert of international law and diplomacy would agree with Gauher Ayub and Shirin Mazari that it is highly undesirable to unwittingly fall in the trap of sending DG ISI himself to go to India and place himself as an accused before the Indian authorities and the Indian press but more to the Western press who are already after the blood of ISI. This decision should be reviewed and any joint enquiry can be held subject to the condition that the DG ISI should not go to India to place himself at Indian disposal. For sending him to India can be misconstrued as an implied acceptance that ISI is involved in the Mumbai incident. In no country on no pretext DG ISI should be presented for cross examination. This is against the dignity of the state and ill advised and unbecoming of Pakistan to submit itself to foreign jurisdiction. I do understand the Joint Enquiry is one thing and cross examination is another, but it will be so twisted. The Investigation teams can meet in normal manner otherwise.

Knowing international law, I entirely agree with Shirin Mazari in this regard along with the justification she has given for not sending DG ISI to India. I join the experts who are not in favour of this decision to send him to India. DG ISI should not be sent to India. Dr Samiullah Koreshi

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