The language is deliberate, the signals unmistakable: India is turning up the heat on Pakistan for the Mumbai attacks that have killed at least 195 people, and there is no knowing where this downward spiral in ties between the uneasy neighbours will end.
Beginning with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s warning that a cost will have to be paid by neighbouring nations that allow militants to operate, to Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s direct call to Islamabad to “dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism”, there is a sharp, cold edge to the tone that you can’t miss even factoring in the immediate anger and sense of outrage the attacks have evoked across India.
Then the signs: Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in India on a previously scheduled visit to review the peace process packing his bags and heading home because Indian political leaders cancelled meetings with him following the attacks.
We have been here before, for sure. A 2001 attack on the Indian parliament, for which like the Mumbai attacks, the Lashkar-i-Taiba was blamed, triggered a set of measures by New Delhi including breaking sporting and cultural links, downgrading diplomatic relations, and the deployment of the military in full combat readiness all along the Pakistan border.
That military stand-off ended six months later after considerable diplomatic pressure from the United States, Britain and other powers worried about two nuclear-armed nations on the brink of war.
So what are the options for Delhi this time around, beyond striking a menacing posture to force Pakistan to go after elements there which it believes are responsible for violence in India?
It can’t risk another extended military deployment - you can only do that sort of “coercive diplomacy” once a while for it to be taken seriously. Limited military strikes on the militant camps that New Delhi says exist across the border?

The New York Times raised that possibility following what were arguably the most audacious attacks India has ever seen even its violent history as a free nation. It’s hard to tell, especially now that those training camps don’t exist so openly, given the Americans’ scrutiny of Pakistan. And India has always been reluctant to cross the Line of Control dividing Kashmir, fearing this would undermine its status as a de facto border and basis for a permament settlement to the Kashmir dispute.
Ending a five-year ceasefire along the Line of Control, which has in recent months come under strain? Or a freezing of ties, turning back the four year-peace process which if nothing else ensured the foes kept talking?
All bets are obviously off . The Times said American military and intelligence officials believed there was mounting evidence that the Lashkar–Taiba was most likely involved in the Mumbai attack. That can only strengthen New Delhi’s case as it confronts Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence with evidence when its representative arrives in India to discuss the attacks, itself an extraordinary move.
Islamabad had earlier agreed to send the head of the ISI to India but it later lowered that to a representative.
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92 comments so far
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The fact is Pakistan has only created terror since her birth.Recent attack on mumbai must not be forgotten without punishing Muslim terrorists and their caretakers.Pakistan is one of the worst virus in the human history.we need to eradicate pakistan from the planet to proteck peace loving innocent people.
- Posted by KumarDr. Arshad Khan
- Posted by Indian‘Was the blood shed during the Partition not enough to satisfy the soil of the subcontinent?’
‘It is time to ask questions’
…Yes
was it wrong to have parted with our beloved land to such ungrateful traitors by wishing that they will leave us alone & let us live in peace? Is it cowardice on our part to forgive the blood shed of partition & forgetting the deep wounds, should they be scratched hard to wake us from our slumber? is it time to say enough is enough?
& many many such questions arise….
Siddharthh
‘if these 10 men had not decided to come to Mumbai, then none of this would have happened.’
‘you will notice that the Western world, including the Brits, are most civilized, contrary to the Pakistanis and Indians, who are barbarians in comparison………’
–Your IQ sucks
- Posted by IndianThe world is ill, please treat it, you can not eliminate the people you hate, you can educate them slowly and understand the people who beleive in terror.
- Posted by Tufail Malikmy heart hurts when you people spread hate for any code of life and any sect of humanity. In fact it is human nature whihc determines acts of virtue or vice, religion plays no role.
all humans beings are made up of the same blood nature and instincts. so why being racist.
please divide the world among the ill people and healthy minded people rather than in religions.
God save our souls
- Posted by Adekunle Samuel Owolabi@ chohan, what drives young men to carry out such attacks ?? Your insane mullas at mosques is what makes young men to do such dastardaly acts. If there were any mosques detroyed in india is purely because of this mulla attitude of Jihad and fidayeen preechings that they do to brain wash young men to kill others and themselves. understand ??
- Posted by OmAll islamists in INDIA, PAKISTAN, BANGLADESH, NEPAL, SRILANKA, AFGHANISTAN should remember that they were HINDUS before they converted to ISLAM. Their forefathers were coerced and forced into ISLAM. And by the way if the indian army is in kashmir then it is not because they like it, they are there because of the terrorists that are being sent into INDIAN KASHMIR by PAKISTANIS.
- Posted by BHAVINWhen the last of the ambers are extinguished and the bodies of the dead are interned, it will be time for those who matter to contemplate the causes and cures of the religious maladies that haunts both Pakistan and India. It is the religions from where these bloody actions emanate. The question is not whether Islam or Hinduism condone or condemn such activities but what prompts people to undertake such acts. Question is how long both India and Pakistan are willing to see the blood of the innocent to flow. Was the blood shed during the Partition not enough to satisfy the soil of the subcontinent? It is time to ask questions and not slogans. Nobody should be called Murdabad. Please, for heavens sake stop blocking the sun by covering the eye with a coin.
- Posted by Dr. Arshad Khan10 Reasons Why We’re Not Ready to Draw Conclusions
http://www.twf.org/News/Y2008/1130-10Rea sons.html
- Posted by Asimrather then just jump to conclusions like everyone seems to be doing in this forum why dont you ask yourself what drives young men to carry out such attacks… you all seem to be blaming Pakistan but whose carrying out all the atrocities in Kashmir its the indian soldiers …there are 600.000 soldiers in kashmir they are killing civilians human rights are being abused there but the world seems to turn a blind eye to kashmiris plight .. India knows no nations wants to criticise her because of her position as an economic giant… Look at all the charches and mosques being burnt in India by hindu extremists but no nation dares to say anything to India in case they lose trade ties with her ….
- Posted by chohanA comment for Layman — you will notice that the Western world, including the Brits, are most civilized, contrary to the Pakistanis and Indians, who are barbarians in comparison………
- Posted by SiddharthhThis is in response to PS and Rohit Mohanty — there are two kinds of blames we must be clear about — internally, our poiticians and bureaucrats have let us down, and therefore, their heads are rolling; three prominent politicians are gone. But the important thing is externally, if Pakistanis are found at fault, then this is an even larger blame to allocate; after all, if these 10 men had not decided to come to Mumbai, then none of this would have happened. Please let us not forget this.So the larger blame should go to the terrorists. In an international forum such as this one, we should do well to keep our internal problems to ourselves, and just talk about the external ones.
- Posted by Siddharthhevery eye soaks in tears for mumbai innocent lives too by not militants or whatever u say but inida itself..
- Posted by NadeemIndia has sown the seed of disparity, injustice and chankia for decades in minorities, specially the Muslims.. The actual mumbai monster is hindutva and its blind and blood thirsty fanatics.. and now she will offcourse reap it and it’s only the begining.. in 60 percent of indian soil, liberation movements are in full momentum..
and india going on war with Pakistan, I say it will be blessings for Pakistan. it will unite the whole country and would make in one nation.. but I am sure, india can\’t dare attack Pakistan because she knows Pakistan..
Ok!
Mumbai Drama
Produced by Hollywood, directed by Bollywood.
As per a very very senior official of MI5 & ISI “India’s Osama bin Laden name Abdus Subhan Querishi or Tauqeer” is commander of 60,000 “supporters” and more than 6000 peoples within India support him politically & financially.
Indians want war against Pakistan. If only 10 teenagers can engage “one of the best army” in the world for 59 hours then Ok! “Let The Show Begin” Its time for Indians to ask the right question from the securities agencies of India
- Posted by AmirHi guys,
I’m a hindu born and I have many muslim friends. In fact my business partner originates from Kashmir (pakistan controlled). Of course it’s sad seeing what happened in Mumbai. My condoleances to all the family who are part of this tragic and hurtful moments.
- Posted by patelThe answer to all these problems is to help each other and not by posting generalised negative messages which infuriate both hindus, muslims etc.
Instead as outsiders, we should ask what can we do to help?
I would not like to see any ordinary indians or pakistanis suffer through no fault of theirs. This is a time which the Indian and pakistani govt should cease and work together to eradicate the the culprits.
In any society there are good and bad. Our service is to improve everyone’s ability to live amongst each other, without any discriminations.
AN EXAMPLE: ONE CANNOT CLAIM TO LOVE GOD IF ONE FAILS TO LOVE EVERY HUMAN BEING WHETHER ASIAN, BLACK, WHITE OR BUDDIST,CHRISTIAN,HINDU,JEWISH,MUSLIM,ET C.
I hope we can do something positive in this decadent world
**Gunmen spoke Hindi with strong Punjabi, north-Indian accent**
“The young gunmen said little during the harrowing drive, but spoke Hindi with a strong Punjabi, north-Indian accent.” constable Arun Jadhav quoted and is the first of the evidences arising from the Mumbai incident.
I think the world should take Kashmir and the issues of minorities in India very seriously. People in India are very desperate for their rights. Tackling and resolving the disputed Kashmir issue and putting an end to the human rights violation in Kashmir is going to be the biggest challenge the modern world will face. India does not accept peaceful resolution to Kashmir according to the UN agenda and yet aims of becoming a super power. More than 30% of the Indian population lives under poverty and all the government thinks about is making missiles and bombs. One should not forget the extremist hindus who have killed scores of muslims and christians much greater than the current Mumbai incident. It has been the failure of the global community that we live in who have been fueling the crisis. Unilateral policies of the US and UK towards India and similar of those of china with Pakistan is doing more bad rather than good.
One should ask why did this happen? How can such a large country with immense forces be unable to tackle with 10 men? It is a failure of the Indian government and one thinks maybe they wanted this to happen to make an excuse for an action the Indian government wants to take. How can one forget the involvement of Indian agencies in supporting terrorism and fueling violance and attacks in Karachi for such a long time. About 40,000 people have been killed, I would rather say murdered over the past 19 years by Indian forces. Where was the world at that time? I would ask the readers to where were you at that time? How ignorant can the so called driving super powers of the world be? Killings in Kashmir have been close to genocide, a horror word we thought we would not listen to after the world war II. With current situation todays world is at the brink of such a man made disaster.
I think it is time for world leaders to take things seriously and the UN should be strengthen to intervene. How ironic it is that the Indian government does not allow the UN to operate in Indian held Kashmir while Pakistan has opened all its doors towards the Azad Jammu Kashmir.
I would like people who read this to think sensibly and not to follow false baseless political aquisitions which make confusions and misunderstandings.
- Posted by Dr I Noor, Sydney AustraliaLet us all join hands, whether its Christains, Muslims, Hindus, Jews etc and make this world a safe and peaceful place to live in for ourselves, and our generations to come. The past is past, let us not blame each other anymore and look for solutions.
Pakistan’s leaders and the Muslim world in general have to acknowledge unequivically that their culture has serious intrinsic flaws that contribute to the generation of homicidal psychopaths that believe they are doing God’s work. The President of Pakistan says he will take action if he receives “proof.” The President of Iran says terrorism is wrong but adds that it arises from “political injustices.” This simply isn’t good enough. No other culture produces people who regularly and systematically commit acts of indiscriminant mass murder of civilians who have no connection whatever to the internal problems of Muslim societies. It’s long past time for the Muslim world to take clear responsibility for putting its own house in order.
- Posted by keithIt is, once again, proof that we the humans, so called civilized once, act in a way that even the animals are ashame of. I am always against those who don’t hesitate to take an innocent life and use religion for there acts. No religion teaches to take innocent lives. I do feel sorry for those who lost there loved once in Mumbai, India. At this time going into war will take sub-continent many many years back. Hopefully everyone will work together to take care of this terrorism once and for all.
- Posted by SajidPeople are saying, that leave the religion out of it. I don’t understand why? All of those fascistic murderers are doing those horrible acts namely because of religion. The reason is Islam, they all are beating the drum about it. I understand, that most of the moslems in the world, don’t agree with terrorists views, but lets look straight and be honest here - the main and most important reason for those terrorist acts is Islam.
- Posted by kalamariIf in the society, people start acting very strangely, you’ll start looking for the reasons. And if those who act strangely all announce something that they learned when they were children, then you’ll better look into your education system. I think moslems should check if there’s something wrong with what they are teaching to their kids. There must be something wrong.
I don understand why would India try to kill us all when we are successfully doing it ourselves? It’s gonna hurt em more then it ll hurt us cuz we’ve become a dead and a senseless nation. US and Taliban are bombing us at will. Let India also do the same if it makes them happy. People are dying everyday in scores and we don’t have any sovereignty left No self respect No integrity. I don’t see anything left for us to “defend” from India??
- Posted by Farjad Tanveer