Modi needs to relook at his Pak strategy

Every act of terrorism carries the threat of war. The Pakistani attacks on parliament in 2001 and on Mumbai in 2008 were followed by the possibility of a major conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. It was undoubtedly the menace of the ultimate, Holocaust weapons which made the two countries draw back from the brink of the precipice at the time.

It is unclear whether the present crisis will see a similar turn of events. The fact that this is an election year in India complicates the scene. The ruling party may feel that the absence of a muscular response to the Pulwama tragedy will hurt its image even if the opposition parties have vowed to stand by it.

At the same time, there is probably diplomatic pressure on it as well to prevent any dangerous escalation of the situation in a region which has sometimes been described as a “nuclear flashpoint”. Although the US has assured India of its support for an act of “self-defence”, it is doubtful whether this term covers a full-scale war.

In all probability, it is a green signal for something like a surgical strike or precision bombing of targets for which the air force is said to be preparing. It is not impossible that among the targets such a focused operation will have on its radar is the Jaish-e-Mohammed’s (JeM) headquarters in Bahawalpur in Pakistan.

Since the JeM was behind the Pulwama massacre, a aerial strike on its den can be construed as an act of “self-defence” if only because the JeM must be having other heinous plans up its sleeve. Since America has consistently asked Pakistan to deny safe havens to terrorists, it cannot but guardedly approve of any targeting of Bahawalpur although it is unquestionably an