Terrorists don’t want India-Pak talks, but engagement is better than war

By O.J.George

India had proposed talks with Pakistan at the Foreign Secretary level, which was accepted by that country raising a bogey for composite dialogue as well. Maybe, it was simply ignoring terrorism angle saying Pakistan was also a victim of terrorism.

Pakistan by its rhetorics wanted to please its captive audience there to drive the point home that it was winning on its own terms.

Recently, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah extended an olive branch to those jihadis who had crossed over to the Pak-Occupied Kashmir to come back and get rehabilitated. Gulam Nabi Azad, hailing from Kashmir, raised a hue and cry highlighting the chances of these people fomenting trouble once they returned to Kashmir.

However, Union Home Minister P.Chidambaram who is handling the portfolio as best as can be by anyone whole-heartedly welcomed the idea.
A few days ago, various terrorist groups gathered in Pak-Occupied Kashmir and spit fire and fury, calling for jihadi activities.

An overview of the jihadi activities would drive the point home that various outfits, known and sleeping, Indian Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jamat-ud-Dawa, Jaish-e-Muhammad, David Headley or others, want murder and mayhem perpetrated in India, and elsewhere, to achieve their so-called religious motives.

When they have international network, terror infrastructure, training outlets, sleeper cells and a plethora of suicide squads, execution of blasts and other forms of attacks are likely, in spite of all possible forms of vigil. Mind you, they have help from elements in India as well. Otherwise, how is it possible to leave a bagpack of explosives in a restaurant with ease? P.Chidambaram had admitted to the fact that the Mumbai attack of 26/11 was facilitated by an Indian handler.

The moment India and Pakistan decided to engage themselves in some form of talks for normalisation of relations, jihadis apparently are outraged. They want to perpetuate terrorism, for which peace is unwanted by them.

Negotiations must go on, for one cannot expect Pakistan to be rid of terrorist elements any time in human history with the sort of outfits existing there and assistance plentily available to them. That country, keeping nuclear bombs and terrorists can never be peaceful.