Friday, July 14, 2006

Indian PM Singh blames Pakistan for failing to rein in terrorists

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India went public today, blaming Pakistan for failing to control terrorists based in its territory and claiming that incidents like the Mumbai bombing endanger the peace process between the two countries.

"These terrorist modules are instigated, inspired and supported by elements across the border without which they cannot act with such devastating effect," Singh said at a press briefing this afternoon in Mumbai, India’s financial capital, three days after 200 people died and hundreds were injured when commuter trains were bombed during the evening rush hour. "I have explained it to the government of Pakistan at the highest level that if the acts of terrorism are not controlled, it is exceedingly difficult for any government to carry forward what may be called as normalization and peace process."

Indian authorities blame Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based terrorist group for the bombings. They've been implicated in numerous other attacks.

India and Pakistan, both nuclear powers, have been engaged in peace talks for four years, since the end of a military and diplomatic crisis over a terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament in December 2001, also the work of Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Earlier this week, the Pakistani president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, condemned the attack on Mumbai and offered his government’s cooperation in the investigation into the bombings.

Pakistan’s Foreign Office this evening called Mr. Singh’s allegations“unsubstantiated” and said it welcomed the continuation of peace talks.

Both Singh and Musharraf have different problems to deal with in handling the problems brought on by this attack.

Singh has been a big proponent of peace talks with Pakistan and now faces harsh criticism from Indian political opposition, the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, and from sections of the Indian public who feel he has been too lenient on Pakistan and on Islamic terrorists. Since India, unlike Pakistan, is a democracy Singh could even face a vote of no confidence in India's parliament if things continue to escalate.

Musharraf's problem is different. As the leader of a government based on a military
coup he's dependent on the army and the Pakastani intelligence service, the ISI to stay in power. Many elements of these organizations support Lashkar-e-Taiba and other Islamist groups - like al Qaeda. Cracking down on them could get Musharraf thrown out of power and `terminated'....permanently.

On the other hand, the US, which supports the Musharraf government has been leaning more towards India and that puts additonal pressure on Musharraf to crack down on Islamist elements in Pakistan.

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