The Hindu Business Line : <I>Pitting CDMs against CBMs </I>

Briefly, the point must be made that while New Delhi has been trying assiduously over the past couple of years to strengthen confidence-building measures (CBMs) to improve the strained relations with Islamabad, the latter has been straining at the leash to promote and implement what can be described as confidence-destroying measures (CDMs).

Pakistan has challenged any links to the July 11 train bombings in Mumbai, on the ground that there is, as of now, no concrete proof. of any link between the blasts and Islamabad. It did so while reacting to the Prime Minister's forthright statement of July 14 (during his visit to Mumbai) that the detonations were carried out by terror modules "instigated, inspired and supported by elements across the border."

Feeble defence

Islamabad rejected the charge by saying that the allegations were "unsubstantiated" — a feeble line of defence which was exposed by the Pakistani Foreign Minister, Mr Khurshid Kasuri's linking (since denied) of the blasts to the resolution of India-Pakistan disputes. Mr Kasuri is reported to have told Reuters in Washington: "I think the Mumbai incident — however tragic it may be, and it is undoubtedly very tragic — underlines the need for the two countries to work together to control this environment, but they can only do so if they resolve their disputes."

Unknowingly perhaps, what Mr Kasuri has done is to have neatly knocked the bottom out of the bilateral cooperative spirit enshrined in the January 6, 2004 joint statement issued by the then Prime Minister, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and the Pakistan President, Gen Pervez Musharraf, in Islamabad in which the latter had "reassured" New Delhi that he "(would) not permit any territory under Pakistan's control to support terrorism in any manner."

Although Islamabad has been trying to repair the damage inflicted on its international image by Mr Kasuri's statement, the fact remains that what he said reflects the situation on the ground. Recent newspaper reports point out that infiltration of terrorists across the LoC has continued unabated this year too, the flow being interdicted a bit because of the use of sophisticated equipment by the Indian Army.

Ground reality

The basic point, however, is that the world knows exactly what is happening, as was indicated clearly by the US envoy to India, Mr David Mulford, who is quoted as having said vis-à-vis the blasts: "Obviously there are linkages there. We all know that." At this point of time, there is no mistaking the fact that world opinion is clearly biased against Islamabad although it will be naïve to expect any country to stick its neck out and point an accusatory finger at Pakistan. Among other things, New Delhi should find itself in a particularly "comfortable" position, with the UN Security Council having urged "all states, in accordance with their obligations under international law and various UN resolutions to cooperate actively with the Indian authorities" in their effort "to bring the perpetrators, financiers, organisers and sponsors of terrorism to justice."

This, therefore, is the time to turn the pressure on Islamabad. Though the door to negotiations should be kept open, the entire structure of CBMs should be "frozen" for the time being, thereby sending a clear message to Islamabad that they cannot talk CBMs and indulge in CDMs at the same time.

Ranabir Ray Choudhury

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