Does Nawaz Sharif also believe that Pakistani government is not doing enough? How about the statement that 'Indians wanted ‘someone senior’ from Pakistan to visit them and a ‘full delegation’ could have gone to India after the Mumbai attacks?’ Would that have been a good idea?
Pakistan should go extra mile against terror: Nawaz Sharif
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LAHORE: Pakistan should ‘go the extra mile’ to combat terrorism especially in the wake of last month’s terrorist attacks in Mumbai, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif told India’s Tehelka magazine in an interview published on Friday.**
“Nobody should be prepared to spare [any] organisation” that is “playing havoc both here and in India”, he said. “We should take serious action and we should let India know that . . . action is now being taken against such elements,” he said. “I think we should now set an example.” Nawaz said it was very important for Indians and the rest of the world to see that Pakistan was sincere and be sympathetic.
He said that despite political differences, he was absolutely sure the government in Islamabad was not involved in the Mumbai attacks. “The political leadership of Pakistan has no such agenda,” he said. Nawaz said Pakistan was fighting with “elements within our country” who he called “people who don’t believe in democracy”.
“These elements are products of dictatorship,” he said, adding that there were no suicide bombings when he was prime minister. “They emerged after Musharraf’s takeover,” he said. “He is responsible for grooming them.” Such groups were wrongly projecting jihad, Nawaz said. “The definition of jihad is to fight against tyranny and injustice. Killing innocent people is not jihad.”
He said the army and the ISI were “legally and technically” under the civilian government’s control, “But . . . some adventurers in the past have been derailing democracy.”
** He said the Indians wanted ‘someone senior’ from Pakistan to visit them and a ‘full delegation’ could have gone to India after the Mumbai attacks.**
Re: Pakistan should go extra mile against terror: Nawaz Sharif
It is clear that both the Gillani government and the GHQ botched the response. Gillani should not have agreed to send DG ISI without consulting GHQ but the ISI-engineered media frenzy and denials after that have blackened Pakistan's name.
What we need is a way for both governments to climb down without losing face. Pakistan needs to act by agreeing to try the Mumbai accused in some international court with neutral members. Instead of denying without credibility and appearing to act under US threats, we need to REALLY clean up the jihadi outfits, dismantle all their alleged camps and take over all educational institutions. We need to make it clear that donating to these causes, even if they claim to be for Kashmiris, is illegal.
I do agree with Nawaz's statement for this reason. We have a big burden because of our past record. But once we take the first step, India has a burden to carry it forward and share all evidence.
Re: Pakistan should go extra mile against terror: Nawaz Sharif
All this diplomatic finesse is nice but you forget that the Mumbai terror attack is not a diplomatic incident. It is a not a mere border infringement. It is not anything that Pakistan can wiggle its way out of.
The images of the terroristsobs shooting around Mumbai is a lot more insulting to India and Indians than anything else that has ever happened. Pakistan will pay heavily if they do not a lot further than they have done to date
Re: Pakistan should go extra mile against terror: Nawaz Sharif
NavyArmy,
I can understand the indignation and my sympathies are with the victims. However, you should know that India has next to zero military options. If there were any, India would have acted by now.
Pakistan is under pressure, yes. Pakistan could pay a heavy price internationally if it is seen as not acting with sincerety, yes. But there is only so much Pakistan can be pushed around.
I'm glad that saner minds have prevailed in India and your government has all but ruled out war as an option. Working with our democratic government is your best bet because there aren't much choices. As sad as it maybe for all of us, no outside force can stop Pakistani GHQ from committing the nation to a suicidal path - only they can do it.
Re: Pakistan should go extra mile against terror: Nawaz Sharif
heavy price does not mean bombing islamabad and karachi. in fact those are the bad options that will kill thousands of innocent people and India will not and should not do that. These are people that relatives of Indians, if at all we need a reason not to do such stupid things.
Making Pakistan pay heavily means force the dark and evil sides whether they are govt hiding within your govt or military or religious institution. Pay heaviliy in terms of embarassment and economic sanction. Pay in terms of shutting down pseudo and radicalized mosques and religious thugs. Pay heavily in terms of making it an international pariah until the realization is widespread enough within govt and military and mosques that being a good responsible country takes a bit more than a flad and nuke