Kashmir remains flashpoint in India-Pakistan relations

Kashmir remains flashpoint in India-Pakistan relations

While the enmity between India and Pakistan is rooted in religion, the disputed territory of Kashmir is the spark that has ignited two wars between the two countries and is the rallying cry for Islamic extremists bent on forcing a status change through death and destruction.

Last week’s terrorists attacks in Mumbai, India’s financial capital, are already being linked to a Pakistani militant group, Lashkar-e-Taiba. The New York Times notes that the group has long been involved in the conflict with India over the disputed territory of Kashmir.

What is noteworthy is that the 12 terrorists were comparatively young and some of them were said to have British passports. One of the attackers was captured alive after the three-day siege of two five-star hotels, the Taj Mahal and the Oberoi, a Jewish center and a major train station. The death toll was estimated at 200, including 22 foreigners. Five Americans were reported to have been killed.

As details of the attacks become known — the viciousness of the attackers and their willingness to die should be cause for concern — the threat of retaliation looms large.

In the past, acts of terrorism by Islamic extremists have resulted in the Hindu majority in India taking revenge on the Muslim minority.

In addition, they have triggered stern warnings from the Indian government that evidence of Pakistan’s involvement could result in a military response.

And given that both countries have nuclear weapons and the ability to deliver them deep into each other’s territory, the situation is extremely dangerous.

After last week’s brazen terrorist attacks, India’s foreign minister, Pranab Mukherjee issued the following statement: “Preliminary evidence, prima facie evidence, indicates elements with links to Pakistan are involved.”

There was an ominous threat in the statement.

Assurance

Pakistani officials, including President Asif Ali Zardari, have gone to great lengths to assure India and the world that their country was not involved.

Zardari called Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to say he was “appalled and shocked” by the attacks.

Because of the heightened tensions between Hindus and Muslims, the Indian government should temper its rhetoric until there is solid evidence of Pakistan’s involvement.

Indeed, we repeat the call we issued in August for an investigation under the auspices of the United Nations. It came on the heels of the July 7 bombing of the Indian embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. There were reports of the possible involvement of Pakistan’s intelligence agency. The agency has long been suspect because of persistent allegations of higher ups being sympathetic to Islamic extremists. Agency officials have been accused of warning al-Qaida of possible attacks by the United States on its camps in the mountains between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

With all of that in mind, an independent probe of last week’s terror in Mumbai is the proper course of action.

But beyond that, the issue of Kashmir must be placed on the international community’s front burner.

During the presidential campaign, Democratic nominee and now Presidential-elect Barack Obama suggested that former President Bill Clinton would be invaluable in serving as an honest broker with regard to Kashmir.

Clinton is highly respected around the world and is seen as someone who would be fair in attempting to forge an acceptable solution.

President Bush, who will be leaving office Jan. 20, should immediately appoint Clinton as a special envoy. If the Indians and Pakistanis believe the former president is there to help, talk of all-out war between the two nuclear powers will be stifled.