Mumbai Attacks Endanger Pak-India Peace

"(These accusations) may mar the ongoing peace process, and certainly destabilize the whole region," said Fatemi. (Google

"Definitely, it will harm the already tense relations between the two countries after these terrorist attacks as India is trying to take full advantage of current geo-political situation," Kamal Hyder, an Islamabad-based senior political and security analyst, told IslamOnline.net.

"(These accusations) may mar the ongoing peace process, and certainly destabilize the whole region," agrees Tariq Fatemi, a former Pakistani envoy to the US.

India is accusing Pakistan-linked "elements" of being behind coordinated attacks in Mumbai that left at least 130 people dead.

"According to preliminary information, some elements in Pakistan are responsible," Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee said.

He, however, said that proof to back up the accusation "cannot be disclosed at this time."
Indian authorities said Thursday that two Pakistani vessels named Alpha and Al-Kabir were seized off India's coast over the Mumbai bombings.

But the claim was swiftly denied by Islamabad.
"No Pakistani ship or boat is missing," said Pakistan's Navy Vice Chief Asif said.

"In fact, Pakistan navy has no ships under such names."
A spokesman for Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said Friday that the chief of Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), lieutenant general Ahmed Shuja, will leave for India to help investigate the Mumbai bombings.

"Initially, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made a request to our prime minister that he should send the ISI chief to India to help in ongoing investigations and further intelligence sharing," spokesman Zahid Bashir said.

"The prime minister of Pakistan responded positively and said both governments need to work out modalities for the early arrival of the ISI chief in India."
India has in the past accused the ISI of helping attacks by militants, including last July's bombing of the Indian embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Disastrous

Experts warn that the Indian accusations could lead to a military standoff between the two arch-foes.

"Any Indian move to implicate Pakistan would be riddled with dangers as it may even prompt a military standoff between two nuclear armed states," said Hyder.

He cited an Indian decision a few years ago to deploy troops on borders with Pakistan following an attack on the Indian parliament, forcing Islamabad to amass troops on borders with New Delhi.

"This time, I see more dangerous situation," he warned.
"If India does the same thing, it would be a total disaster."
Pakistan and India have been arch rivals since the partition of the Indian sub-continent in 1947.

The two countries fought three wars since their independence in 1947.
Hyder believes that the Indian accusations against Pakistan have the blessing of the United States and Britain.

"A huge setback however if the country felt threatened with Indian reprisals for what happened in Mumbai it may prompt Pakistan to conclude a political settlement with the tribal militants and withdraw its forces to protect the country's Eastern frontier with India.

"If this happens, that will ruin the Pakistan army's efforts against militancy in tribal region, but more than it would provide an opportunity to US forces to invade the tribal belt."

Islamabad is engaged in military operations in its northwest tribal regions bordering Afghanistan.

A key ally in Washington's so-called "war on terror," Pakistan is dealing with its own militant violence including bomb blasts and suicide attacks.
More than 1,400 people have died in terrorist attacks in Pakistan since July 2007, the worst period of militant violence in the country.

Experts urge New Delhi to practice self-restraint before accusing Pakistan of involvement in the attacks.

"My sincere advice to the Indian government is to keep retrain at the moment as the events are still underway," said Fatimi, the former Pakistani envoy.
"Such hostile statements at this stage may turn out to be disastrous."