- The whole country is devastated by the Pahalgam terrorist attack on the innocent tourists holidaying with gay abandon, which resulted in 28 lives being lost. The glaring daredevilry displayed by the terrorists to unleash a volley of gunshots on the unsuspecting tourists points to some level of intelligence failure on the part of the agencies tasked with the purpose. Also, what is evident from the latest terrorist attack is the local support extended to the barbarians, without which such a dastardly act could not have been possible to be executed. This is a case of glaring security intelligence failure that should have been supplemented by the tried and tested human intelligence from the ground to keep track of what’s happening around. Alas, it was not to be.
PC: The Hindu
- The Union Government has acted swiftly by condemning the barbaric incident duly endorsed by several prominent leaders from around the world. The message emanating from across the world is simple. There is no place for terrorism and/or killing innocent lives in the name of religion. The Indian response has been swift retaliation with the Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by PM Modi, taking four key decisions – suspension of the Indus Water Treaty, closure of Attari border checkpost, suspension of visas for Pakistanis, and withdrawal of defence advisers in each other’s high commissions. Here are some of the worthwhile measures the Union Government can consider to further ratchet up the pressure on Pakistan.
PC: India Today
- First, a military security response that specifically targets the terror perpetrators, which is already underway. A wider confrontation with Pakistan is what Islamabad wants at this point to derive maximum mileage after the Pahalgam attack. Global attention is what Pakistan craves, which should be denied without New Delhi taking the bait. Indian think tank should work more closely with Afghanistan and Iran, which is bound to hurt Pakistan most. India should make use of the good relations with the Gulf Arab states like Saudi Arabia by making these countries realise the folly of supporting Pakistan, which continues to reel under domestic economic challenges. If they want to actualize a modern, post-oil vision for their countries, they need India, not Pakistan.
PC: BBC
- Urging Gulf states to financially cut off Pakistan for becoming an impediment to regional security and development should be prioritized. Note that the China-Pakistan relationship is an all-weather one. With Trump in Washington, Beijing wants to restore cordial ties with India. As a test of sorts, New Delhi must ask Beijing to get Islamabad to crack down on anti-India forces. If Beijing accepts, there can be progress on bilateral ties. A win-win situation for both neighbours. In the same vein, PM Modi should impress upon Trump to place Pakistan in the doghouse like FATF’s grey list for money laundering and terror financing. Enforcing sanctions against Pakistani military elements supporting terrorists should be fully explored. Pakistan must be made to feel the heat.
