Prime Minister Narendra Modi had advised against precipitate action against Pakistan to avenge the Uri outrage. But he did not mean inactivity. Indian commandos attacked terror launch pads across the LOC. In its Islamabad declaration of January 2004 Pakistan had promised that no territory held by it would be allowed to support the terror infrastructure. But that commitment has been repeatedly violated. The LOC has harboured terrorism causing incursions into India a number of times last year. New Delhi had requested Pakistan to cooperate in investigations into such terror attacks. But the Pakistani government always supported and facilitated the terror infrastructure. On a number of occasions, blood spilled with Indian soldiers and civilians getting killed. India is fully justified in hitting the terror launch pads. The recent strikes are only of a surgical nature. The Modi government had taken initiatives to clarify its peaceful stance. It carried out only a diplomatic war. Pakistan has been isolated as India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Bhutan have boycotted the SAARC summit which was scheduled to be held in Islamabad. Meetings of the Indus Water Commission have been deferred until the clouds of terror have lifted. At the same time Modi made it abundantly clear that his country was prepared to do its best to maintain friendly relations with Pakistan.
This is an occasion for the Opposition political parties to rally round the Modi government. Political analysts support India’s surgical operations across the LOC. It is high time that New Delhi met the persistent terror challenge. The Kargil war was one but Pakistan retaliated with frequent pin pricks. First came the IC-814 hijacking, then the orchestrated release of terrorists like Masood Azhar who formed Jaish-e-Mohammed. It is also possible that Pakistan will incite anti-Indian terror cells on Indian soil. The diplomatic campaign is fine but India also has to keep its powder dry. Of course the recent attack across the LOC may lead Pakistan to strike back. If it does not, peace may dawn and relations between India and Pakistan might be normalised.
