As the guns fell silent and sanitisation operations by security forces continue inside the Pathankot Air Base, the big question is should India continue with peace process with Pakistan? Islamabad’s role in Pathankot terror strike has been laid bare. India has handed over ample evidence to the Nawaz Sharif government regarding his country’s involvement in the brazen terror attack. But will PM Sharif take any action on evidence provided by India? The combined inputs of India’s intelligence agencies suggest that the Pakistan Army is not fully on board with Nawaz Sharif’s efforts to forge peace with India. The Indian political establishment has been informed at the highest levels that the Pathankot attack has been carried out with the full knowledge of the Pakistan Army Chief General Raheel Sharif. The Pakistan-India relationship is in a tailspin, what with Modi’s landing in Lahore and now the gun battle at Pathankot. The attack will cement the official India position: that it will not talk about another issue until that of terrorism is sorted– Pathankot is another case in point. The long journey to peace and normalisation of relations between India and Pakistan has been incredibly complex and painful. The only solace is an operation of such a magnitude had no collateral damage to valuable assets which could have created an ugly situation for the country. Thanks to the seven brave hearts for whom nation would always be indebted. The other point which has been made clear is that India should not have love for Lahore. Kargil in 1999 came after then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee rode in the ‘friendship bus’ and in 2016 the Pathankot attack came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an uninvited stopover in Lahore and touched Nawaz Sharif’s mother’s feet. There is nothing wrong in paying respect to elders. But elements in Pakistan-ISI, army and militants-did not like Modi’s gesture. It looks Modi’s Bin Bulaye Mehan Bazi has cost India heavily. But questions will remain unanswered even in the current incident like what happened in earlier Parliament attack and 26/11 Mumbai. India has handed over ample evidence showing Pakistan’s hand in all these attacks, but the latter has refused to accept them. One more incident has taken place where Pak can still remain in denial mode. Under these conditions is it conducive to hold talks on elusive peace?
