United against terror

TALIBAN gunmen attacked a military school in Peshawar and killed 141 people on Tuesday. India has shared the grief of the neighbouring country though Delhi’s relations with Islamabad had cooled of late. Parliament and schools in India observed a two-minute silence on Wednesday. Terror presents a common challenge. It is necessary for India and Pakistan to resume bilateral talks and form a joint front to counter terrorism. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan has claimed that the attack on the school was in retaliation against the Pakistan army’s offensive in North Waziristan. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has declared that the dialogue with the Pakistan Taliban had failed and that his government had no alternative to mounting military operations. Even Imran Khan who was soft on the Taliban has joined hands with Nawaz Sharif in stressing the need for counter-terrorism. Islamabad should take firm steps to root out the menace. There is no dividing line between the Afghan Taliban and the Pakistan Taliban-between a good Taliban and a bad Taliban. Pakistan Taliban has been threatened with drastic punishment. They are also linked with al-Qaida and terror outfits targeting India.
What is imperative is installation of a joint mechanism and process to combat terror with shared intelligence across the borders of the two countries. The Peshawar tragedy could lead to rethinking on Indian and Pakistani policies on Kashmir to cross-border firing. It may strengthen the forces of peace in both countries. Good may come out of evil.