Guest Blog by Amjad Malik
Recent 26 November Mumbai shoot out which is decaled by some as India’s 9/11 though is condemnable, but this symbolic attack on western outlets of Taj and Oberoi has a double edged consequences. On one hand it unfolds the destruction in the commercial hub of India and on the other an opportunity where India, Pakistan and USA attempting to use this event for their own strategic advantages ignoring the basic fact that the catastrophe has far reaching repercussions for the peace initiative in the region. Indian security failure is floating on the surface and historic rivalry has forced India to deny any lapse and refuse intelligence share and it leveled allegations forthwith on Pakistani home grown LeT which was an easiest target, if one is familiar with Indo Pak relations. India at all times will have a few people set to rock and roll due to LeT’s past presence in Kashmir on the name of ‘struggle for independence.’ Though its pre mature to establish the true perpetrators behind in the absence of joint or UN mission investigation but it’s an eye opener how fragile is the security of India which claims to be the biggest economic cum military power in the region, but has been meagerly kneeled down by around 10 outlawed individuals in few hours which raise eye brows on country’s safety procedures on its nuclear command and control. Their concentration must be to stop any future Mumbai style attacks and the key is to counter the far right activities of RSS and VHP, and move forward towards true emancipation of its people by addressing Muslim & Christian minority treatment concerns and a viable solution to the bone of contention ‘Kashmir’. Unless the situation is improved where Washington plays a role to pave way for an Indo-Pak peace deal where EU, China, Russia are on board to add economic incentives and geographical advantages, these rivalries will continue. These attacks whether it’s at Marriott Islamabad or Taj at Mumbai will continue as both countries since its inauguration in 1947 have locked horns in intelligence warfare and RAW and ISI both are fighting this war to its own strategic advantages.
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