News Desk |
Reuters reports that the USA continues to be “concerned about India-Pakistan tensions” as the two nuclear-armed rivals continue to keep their militaries on high-alert. Three weeks have elapsed since the Pak-India military confrontation and a US administration official has expressed America’s fear of a renewed confrontation between the two South Asian rivals while talking to Reuters.
On Wednesday, a US administration official, who has not been named, revealed to Reuters that the Trump-led administration does not believe in Pakistan’s commitments of cracking down on “Islamist extremists who claimed responsibility for a bomb attack on Indian security forces that triggered last month’s crisis.”
The official states that Washington has deemed Pakistan’s crackdown on extremists as “insufficient” and believes that Washington needs to “see irreversible sustained action”.
The official further added, “If there is an additional terrorist attack without Pakistan having made a sustained sincere effort against these groups, it will be extremely problematic for Pakistan and it would cause a re-escalation in tentions”. The official’s remarks endorse the view that the Trump-led government accuses Pakistan’s allegiance to these alleged extremist groups as the reason for the latest confrontations between India and Pakistan.
Despite Pakistan’s consistent gestures of peace, the return of the captured Indian pilot and commitment of investigating the Pulwama attack, the US official stated that Washington continues to be perplexed over the possibility of a terrorist attack and the high-alert militaries on both sides of the border. The official is quoted by Reuters, “We do still see the militaries on alert and so we realize if there, God forbid, would be another terrorist attack, then you could quickly see escalation in the situation once again. We are making clear that any additional military action by either side runs an unacceptably high risk for both countries and for the region.”
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The official states that Washington has deemed Pakistan’s crackdown on extremists as “insufficient” and believes that Washington needs to “see irreversible sustained action”.
Ajit Doval Continues to Threaten Pakistan
On Tuesday, the Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval issued yet another threat to Pakistan, stating that India has not forgotten the Pulwama terror attack which resulted in the deaths of 40 CRPF Jawans, and intends to more action against the “terrorists and those who support them”.
While addressing the 80th CRPF anniversary of the Indian paramilitary forces, NSA Ajit Doval is quoted by India Today, “The country has neither forgotten nor will ever forget the Pulwama terror attack. The leadership will decide on the time and locations to act. Be it against terrorists or those who support and harbor the terrorists.”
It is disappointing to note that a similar rhetoric is also observed in Pakistan as we see PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari reinstating Ajit Doval’s commitment of attacking these alleged Jaish-e-Mohammad terror camps.
Ajit Doval praised the credibility and trustworthiness of the CRPF and paid tribute to the 40 Jawans who had lost their lives in the Pulwama attack. He clearly stated that India intends to take more action against the alleged Jaish-e-Mohammad camps in Pakistan, and those harbor and support “terrorists like Masood Azhar, whose Jaish-e-Mohammed claimed responsibility for the Pulwama attack.”
It is disappointing to note that a similar rhetoric is also observed in Pakistan as we see PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari reinstating Ajit Doval’s commitment of attacking these alleged Jaish-e-Mohammad terror camps. On Wednesday, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari made a rather flamboyantly immature statement that has garnered much applause in India and strong criticism from Pakistan. While accusing the federal government of inaction against banned terror outfits, including Jaish-e-Mohammad and Jamaat-ud-Dawah, he alleged, “They have been taken into protective custody so that the Indian planes don’t blow them up.”
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It is evident that while Pakistan needs to be cautious of the enemies lurking around its borders, it is also in grave danger from the enemies deep within.
Mina Jahangir with additional input by News Desk.