After terror attack at Pathankot India should reinvent strategy

Pathankot terror attack is major watershed in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign policy especially the transforming the relations with Pakistan that were on low ebb right from the day one after his magnificent first to invite all SARC members to his searing in. Pakistan continued to shell the border and terror strikes did not halt. Modi took a historic and daredevil step to enter Pakistan and greet Nawaz Shrif on marriage function in his family on his return from Afghanistan where he had inaugurated their Parliament building constructed by India. For a week it was jubilation in peace lobby and international press and governments acclaimed his initiative. But this peace ovation did not last long. There was attack on Indian embassy in Afghanistan as a sting in the tail tradition. And on 31^st night Pakistan based terrorists breached the border between two countries and started worst ever attack that failed in its mission but caused damage and embarrassments to peace efforts that were on between two countries.

Pakistan has many outfits which train terrorists and some of the known terror promoters like Saiyad Hafiz and others are openly operating. They are powerful in carrying out terror activities in different location although some of them locate in Pakistan occupied Kashmir. It is their interest that peace between two countries does not last as they will lose their constituency and impact. It is uniform practice of these agencies to unleash terror after any effort to mend fences between two countries. Mod’s initiative had already shocked Hafiz and these outfits. But their patten of operation can be studies from the facts that last year talks between Afghanistan and Taliban were preceded by terror attack. Asia Summit attended by Sushma Swraj was followed by attack on Kandhar airport. No wonder Modi’s universally appreciated peace effort had to be foiled and there came Pathankot.

But how they operate and why Pakistan Government is not controlling them? The reason is simple that Pakistan is getting its dole from US and others only for keeping an eye on them and giving access to US agencies to carry out their mission as they did for Osma Bin Laden. Their economy is heavily depended on such doles and drug trade. This attack itself is result of combinations of drug-terror nexus.

The result was that within a week of Modi‘s spectacular Pakistan visit the terrorist wanted equally spectacular attack to derail the process of peace.  No doubt Pakistan has not acted strongly against earlier complaints of India, even 26/11 for years, continue to be questionable as they don’t find substantial evidence even when India gives them proof of alive Kasab who confessed to his act. They even refused to take the bodies of such confessed Pakistani’s. Some experts think it is deliberate design of Pak policy to proclaim peace but promote terror to keep its economics of doles and drugs alive. It is therefore difficult to trust any move by Pak to stop these activities and nab the terror promoters and sources in their own country.

Pathankot no doubt is greatest set back to peace effort although the terrorists did not succeed in causing major damage to airport and its aircrafts or helicopters which would have been very serious. Nevertheless they are responsible for 7 deaths of Indian soldiers and more than 20 injured. The question now is that did we tackle the terror attack properly? No doubt mission of terrorists has been thwarted but major lacuna in the process of entry and operation of the terror still remain. It is well known that entire area from Dina nagar to Gurdaspur area remains porous and smugglers are frequently using this route. How it was known but still a vital installation like airbase remained incompletely insulated to such intrusions. The force which had to bear the brunt of attack with maximum casualties belonged to security which is like chowkidars as they were not trained to deal with such intruders and were retired personnel. Even lights were not operating in area of wall that allowed the entry. The fact that such fatigues, as were worn by intruders, are openly selling in market made things difficult as Indian personnel found it difficult to distinguish between their own men and the terrorists. Second area of mystery is SP of Gurdaspur who has not been able in the middle of night of 31^st, to clearly establish his presence in area when he was abducted and how he was left unscathed without being killed. The investigation will reveal whether they had link with drug smugglers or terrorists.

Altho9ugh Pakistan first time responded by condemning the attack and has started investigation based on clues furnished by India and there is clear US pressure on acting on evidence rather than talking yet it is not believed that there will be elimination of terror bases. Looking to Pak strategy to keep the world dependent on it for terror control and their own interest to continue is bound to result in double speak and schizophrenic approach. India must change its policy and instead of just going on submitting evidence only it must inflict collateral damage in many possible manners. No longer should we wait for Pakistan to solve out problem we have to do it ourselves and reinvent our strategy.

-Prof N.K.Singh former Chairman Int Airports Authority of India