Amid the grim reminders of 26/11, Pakistan cocked a snook at India once again to mark the deadly terror attack’s ninth anniversary this past week. It set free the mastermind of the attack, LeT leader Hafiz Saeed, ostensibly on the basis of a court order, but there is little doubt that this is just another ‘drama’ that various organs of the Pakistani establishment play from time to time with steady and mischievous planning.
This is just a reinforcement of the fact that there is little sense in trusting one or another institution in Pakistan, be it the government, the judiciary, or the parallel power centre in the form of the military and its notorious ISI outfit, to do justice either to India or the wider world. They act in unison and in most lethal ways.
This is not the case with India that is found wanting in offering matching responses. Not only that India is incapable of a severe military response, it is also that the political and bureaucratic set up in this country prefers to remain landlocked. They would rather squabble among themselves than face the enemy in a united manner.
Over 160 people, including foreign nationals, had been killed and twice that number maimed in the series of coordinated terror attacks at multiple locations in Mumbai on 26th November 2008. India is still licking the wounds of that offensive that continued for three full days. Nine out of the 10 perpetrators were gunned down by Indian security forces and one caught alive, tried and executed.
There are rumours that apart from the known terrorists, there were a few others who managed to mingle with the crowd and escape. At that time, there were demands for immediate targeting of terrorist hideouts in Pakistan, but India desisted from such military offensive, and chose the way of restraint.
While Pakistan got a ‘bad guy’ image and India won sympathy from across the world, both sentiments were naturally short-lived. However, after 26/11 attacks, Pakistan, due to international disapproval, limited its non-state players from foraying into India. The situation however, kept on escalating to gruesome proportions.
After the change in political leadership of India, the situation did not improve much. Beheading of Indian soldiers, attacks on military bases such as Pathankot and mild reprisals such as the surgical strike by India further deteriorated the relations between the two nations.
It must be admitted that Pakistan’s diplomatic skills outweigh that of India many times over. While our diplomats work as bureaucrats when posted in other countries, Pakistani diplomats seem to be working with zeal and ardour to further the cause of their country. Most Indian missions seem to be bogged down with trade and business activities.
They give an impression of representing a large nation that has full military capabilities to protect itself but needs business and commercial linkages. On the other hand, the Pakistani diplomatic corps seem to be present everywhere.
They have a large number of diplomats heading different missions who have direct political or military backgrounds. The difference becomes visible instantly. A Pakistani ambassador can call up the political or military chief and get directions. An Indian diplomat, being a bureaucrat, is more concerned about taking maids and servants from India for a life of leisure and pleasure.
The Indian bureaucrat does not bother with the Prime Minister, so forget any concern to consult the Minister for External Affairs. The IFS officer is more involved in machinations that will make her or him the next Foreign Secretary. Most of these things are unknown to the general public across the country.
The behaviour, style of socialising and the prompt attitude of a bureaucrat creates impressions about the nation she represents. Sadly, Indian bureaucrats have constantly considered themselves as a class apart. An individual diplomat’s non performance or wrong reading of a situation destroys the relations between countries.
The release of Hafiz Saeed, a mass murderer, is the abject failure of the Indian diplomatic class. That the Union government could not build international pressure against Saeed is amply proven in his release by an inferior court in Pakistan. This implies that with the freedom achieved by Hafiz Saeed, injustice has succeeded due to India’s failures.
