After India’s air attack, onus of restraint on Pak

INDIA HAS TERMED

THE AIR STRIKE A PRE-EMPTIVE ACTION AGAINST A GATHERING OF MILITANTS PLANNING MORE ATTACKS IN INDIA. THIS HAS BROUGHT IN AN ELEMENT OF THE RIGHT TO SELF-DEFENCE THAT ANY COUNTRY

CAN EXERCISE

since Pakistan was complicit in terrorism acts against India, New Delhi had to act; this is an argument that no self-respecting country can go against.

The call that Pakistan has to make is tougher for another reason. In the Indian democratic system, when the 26/11 Mumbai attacks went without a response, the government took the blame and not the Indian military. In Pakistan’s case, if a response does not come, while (Prime Minister) Imran Khan would be criticised, it would be the standing of the Pakistan Army that would take a fatal hit – its standing as the “saviour” of Pakistan would be called into question. Would this force them to take the intemperate step of escalating to war? Do they have a face-saving device? It’s here where the danger of further terrorist strikes ordered by Islamabad comes in; one would be naïve to believe that one Balakot would dissuade Pakistan and India would be rid of the scourge of terrorism inspired from across the border. In the short term, we may hope for an extended period of a peace dividend. For the long term, New Delhi’s guard needs to stay up.