The UN panel confirmation of six of the nine addresses for underworld don Dawood Ibrahim in Pakistan is another bone of contention in a growing list of disagreements. In itself it is neither a mandate for extradition nor does it have any executive authority.
It is also a bit of a muchness in that Indian authorities would have been aware of all this information well before the UN placed a stamp on it.
Thing is that other events are swiftly overhauling the Dawood issue, which has become largely passé what with Indian authorities not really putting too much pressure on Islamabad to have him dispatched to India.
At one juncture, it may have been a thorn in the side but now in itself the ‘catch Dawood’ phase has waned.
Even when the climate was warmer, or at least more congenial, there was never any concerted move to get him to India. Pakistan dragged its feet and will continue to ignore any request in the present circumstances.
With the present attention squarely on the Prime Minister’s ‘PoK-Baloch’ strategy giving India any leeway at this moment is not just unlikely, it is not even on the cards.
In fact, there should be more concern about trouble in Kashmir and a reciprocal freedom call in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
If these acts of hostility coalesce in any way on to the LoC, then we are also unable to take off the table further and heightened attrition between Indian and Pakistani forces. Both nations are bristling and it will take very little for the pot to spill over.
Even the weather is right for a fight with the rivers no longer in spate, the monsoon dissipated and armor and artillery able to move without getting stuck.
Although saner minds will agree that war is a frightful option, it is not always saner minds that win. The current unrest in the valley is clearly being encouraged from without because on its own the population would have exhausted its supplies.
Talking of supplies it is exactly that which feeds an army; and supply lines are the most sensitive target for terror attacks. It makes sense for India to have stopped night convoys and make moves only in the day.
With the pressure on Islamabad likely to build over the new front, there seems very little wriggle room to sit at the table and de-escalate the tension. Now both sides have the common card; do not meddle in our internal affairs. The stalemate will never reduce in its element of danger and the sub-continent will be on edge from now on till an open date.
One can only hope that no untoward major incident occurs on either side of the border to stun the same mind into submission and have the war balloon go up.
It is also a bit of a muchness in that Indian authorities would have been aware of all this information well before the UN placed a stamp on it.
Thing is that other events are swiftly overhauling the Dawood issue, which has become largely passé what with Indian authorities not really putting too much pressure on Islamabad to have him dispatched to India.
At one juncture, it may have been a thorn in the side but now in itself the ‘catch Dawood’ phase has waned.
Even when the climate was warmer, or at least more congenial, there was never any concerted move to get him to India. Pakistan dragged its feet and will continue to ignore any request in the present circumstances.
With the present attention squarely on the Prime Minister’s ‘PoK-Baloch’ strategy giving India any leeway at this moment is not just unlikely, it is not even on the cards.
In fact, there should be more concern about trouble in Kashmir and a reciprocal freedom call in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
If these acts of hostility coalesce in any way on to the LoC, then we are also unable to take off the table further and heightened attrition between Indian and Pakistani forces. Both nations are bristling and it will take very little for the pot to spill over.
Even the weather is right for a fight with the rivers no longer in spate, the monsoon dissipated and armor and artillery able to move without getting stuck.
Although saner minds will agree that war is a frightful option, it is not always saner minds that win. The current unrest in the valley is clearly being encouraged from without because on its own the population would have exhausted its supplies.
Talking of supplies it is exactly that which feeds an army; and supply lines are the most sensitive target for terror attacks. It makes sense for India to have stopped night convoys and make moves only in the day.
With the pressure on Islamabad likely to build over the new front, there seems very little wriggle room to sit at the table and de-escalate the tension. Now both sides have the common card; do not meddle in our internal affairs. The stalemate will never reduce in its element of danger and the sub-continent will be on edge from now on till an open date.
One can only hope that no untoward major incident occurs on either side of the border to stun the same mind into submission and have the war balloon go up.
