The danger point

The war against terrorism has reached a critical juncture. India has been at the receiving end of significant terrorist attacks in recent weeks. There is emerging evidence that terrorist camps continue to exist in Pakistan. If this stream of attacks continues, all the fragile hopes generated by the peace process with Pakistan may be quickly shattered. India has so far been extremely restrained in its response. But it is being forced now to ask the tough questions. Why is Pakistan not doing more to clamp down on terrorist activities? Is it unwilling, or unable? Either way, General Pervez Musharraf has a lot to answer for.

If Pakistan does not show the requisite will, India will be left with little reason to trust Pakistan. On the other hand, if Pakistan is unable to control infiltration and rein in the rogue elements, then Indians will ask the question: why bother with the General? If he is strong, he is guilty. If he is weak, then he may be irrelevant. If General Musharraf wants to be taken seriously as a credible interlocutor, it is time for him to deliver results. His political compulsions, the institutional capacities of the Pakistani state, or the activities of rogue elements are no longer valid excuses. The West has also given Pakistan too long a leash, one that he has artfully manipulated to make himself appear indispensable in the war on terror.

Indeed the recent attacks also pose a quandary for India. In some ways, our anti-terrorism strategy has relied on the peace process working. But India now has to seriously move away from a wait-for-peace approach to a more pro-active stance against terrorism. It cannot afford to simply sit back and wait for Pakistan to sort itself out. India will also have to confront the question it has avoided thus far: if Musharraf cannot deliver on terrorism, what is India’s strategy going to be? We must avoid reaching the dangerous point where instead of the peace process becoming a solution to terror, terror threatens to subdue the peace process.