Round The World
New
Delhi, 26 June 2012
Key 26/11 Accused
Held
WILL PAKISTAN NOW
COOPERATE?
By Monish Tourangbam
Research Scholar,
School of International Studies (JNU)
One of the key accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist
attacks, captured in Saudi Arabia
was deported to India
Tuesday last. Dreaded Zabiuddin Ansari alias
Abu Jundal aka Abu Hamza is an Indian
national hailing from Maharashtra’s Beed
district. Not only has he confessed his active role in carrying out the 26/11
four years ago but also disclosed his close links with the attacks masterminds
Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and Hafiz Saeed.
Importantly, Jundal’s arrest has put new focus on the 26/11
trials as he is the biggest catch since Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving gunman
of the attacks was caught. Raising a moot point: What does his arrest add up
to? Will the disclosures made by him provide enough ammunition to New Delhi to tackled Islamabad,
which continues to cite “lack of evidence” for refusing to act against those
accused?
According to Jundal, he was one of the major planners
along-with attack mastermind LeT leader Hafiz Saeed and others who directed
Kasab and Co from a control room in Karachi.
Indeed, his revelations confirm many things that India
knew and have added more firepower to New
Delhi’s assertions.
This is not all. Jundal has also disclosed culpability of
ISI and Pakistani army officials who too were involved in planning 26/11 and attended various meetings. Even as evidence against LeT leader Hafiz
Saeed piles up, he continues to elude the authorities, openly propagates
anti-India rhetoric and hold rallies in Pakistan. Thanks, to authorities
repeatedly asserting ‘lack of evidence’ against Saeed.
Notwithstanding, the nature of the Mumbai attacks and the way
they were carried out points to meticulous and multi-level planning which
underscore that Pakistani military and intelligence were involved it. Needless
to say, Jundal’s disclosures add weight to New Delhi’s averments of Pakistani officials’
culpability. Namely, involvement of two Pakistani army
officers, Major Sameer and Major Iqbal.
Also, as Jundal hailed from Maharashtra he
trained the attackers in speaking Hindi, acquainted them with Mumbai’s
topography and gave tips on how to move around the city. He was not only present
at the training camp in Muzaffarabad in
PoK but also instructing the killers from control room to fool investigators by
making them pose as members of a fictional Indian outfit: Deccan Mujahideen.
In fact, his voice using words like “prashashan” has been identified in the 26/11 tapes. Over the next
few days, Jundal will be interrogated by multiple agencies, for his involvement
in various terrorist attacks across India. Kasab’s testimony points to
his active involvement. According to officials, Jundal left Pakistan after the Mumbai attacks and was
stationed in Saudi Arabia.
True, many grey areas in the whole plot still remain
answered but these will become clearer once multiple investigations and
interrogations start. Given that the practice of using multiple aliases by
terrorist groups has made the task harder in identifying them. According to
analysts, Jundal’s Indian nationality might have made it easier for Saudi
authorities to help India
nab and deport him. Undoubtedly, more facts will spill open in the coming days.
Round The World …2
Raising significant questions: What role will these play in New Delhi’s talks with Islamabad? How will these be used by India to communicate its concerns vis-à-vis terrorism in general and South Asia in particular to the international community?
Particularly to Washington?
Remember, Indo-Pakistan ties plummeted post the Mumbai
attacks, and are today the top agenda between the two. Diverse evidences also
highlight the attacks were hatched on Pakistani soil with culpability of some
sections of the ISI. Moreover, Jundal’s arrest might add a new chapter to the
long 26/11 trial.
Add to this, other innumerable jinx factors whereby the
trajectory of Indo-Pakistan ties has always stumbled due to unresolved issues and
notorious adventurism by Pakistan-based terrorists aided by sections of the
Pakistani Establishment.
At the same time however, leaders on both sides have walked
the extra mile to resume dialogue and there has been a concerted effort to give
economic content to ties. Unprecedented economic steps have been taken recently
opening new vistas of cooperation and creating more confidence building
measures in terms of increased economic linkages.
As a result of various initiatives taken to start talks on
contentious issues, and efforts to increase economic connectivity for the
benefit of all, a sense of optimism pervade both the sides. Even the current
political turmoil in Pakistan,
leading to the ouster of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and induction of Raja
Pervaiz Ashraf in place of him has not lowered the prospects of positive
developments in India-Pakistan relations.
Undeniably, Jundal’s arrest and his confession would
definitely build serious domestic demands for India to take sterner steps with the
Pakistani authorities to quickly book the perpetrators. Hence, amidst the
prospects of trade liberalisation in between the neighbours, terrorism remains
an Achilles heel.
Sadly, economics alone is not the antidote
for India-Pakistan’s troublesome relationship. Much more understanding needs to
be arrived at on many political and security-oriented issues. Specially, terrorism as Indians
eagerly await justice for the Mumbai victims and action against the terrorists.
Recall, the TV visuals of the heinous and bloody attacks have left a deep
imprint.
Clearly, terrorism has broken
the spine of India-Pakistan ties and this will continue to haunt the region and
both countries unless and until the Pakistani Establishment comes clean on the
complicity of its men coupled with the Army changing its India-centric
mentality.
In sum, no matter the measures to increase
confidence between the two countries, the bottom line is clear: Pakistan needs
to show its sincerity towards scuttling anti-India elements on its soil. Till
date, two 26/11 attackers, Ajmal Kasab and David Headley have produced major
incriminating evidences against the terror masterminds and elements within Pakistan’s
military and intelligence.
But, all these dossiers have fallen on deaf
ears, with Islamabad
continuously parroting its well-rehearsed lines “lack of evidence”. One wonders
how Pakistan
will respond to evidences coming to light post the arrest of prized catch, Abu Jundal aka Abu Hamza. ------ INFA
(Copyright,
India News and Feature Alliance)
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