Naya India retaliates forcefully

Even as Imran Khan was dreaming of a 'Naya Pakistan', Indians woke up to an overpowering feeling of having been secured following the bombing of the key terror recruitment and advanced training centres not only across Pakistan Occupied Kashmir but also well within its mainland - Khyber Pakhtunwa. This feeling is one of the most satisfying by any means.

After tolerating the terror tactics of Pakistan which have been bleeding us profusely in the past 30 years silently, India retaliated and retaliated overwhelmingly leaving the enemy nonplussed and incoherent. Yes, this is one area which we struck today to teach the enemy a lesson. But, there is another area too to inflict a high cost on Pakistan for harbouring terror safe havens.

If Pakistan thought we would only intensify firing on the cross-border posts while continuing bragging about our firm resolve, it was proved wrong fully. We have already begun hurting it by discontinuing Most Favoured Nation status to it however, small the business may be. Two billion rupees may not sound much, but for a nation whose forex reserves are tattering around seven billion rupees, this small amount is a heavy penal tax.

Pakistan might now move out its terror masterminds to further safe havens. But the movement will be noticed by the international community and its technology. For the time being India needs to sit tight and keep guarding its frontiers safe from any misadventure from Pakistan. A couple of strikes more on its terror camps would not hurt anyone outside Pakistan. But, the focus now should be more on its foreign currency. Its policy of nurturing terror creates chronic internal instability which prevents it from having a viable economy.

Its token moves on Bahawalpur and the “ban” on JuD (a front for LeT) came because Pakistan needs an IMF bailout and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has grey-listed it for sponsoring terror. Giving proof to Pakistan on terror activities from its soil has been proven to be pointless by now, but lobbying with international agencies has had some success.

The UN Security Council has, for the first time, condemned a terror strike in Kashmir and blamed JeM for it. It did not refer to Kashmir as Indian occupied Kashmir or Indian Held Kashmir. New Delhi must strongly lobby international financial agencies such as IMF or FATF to blacklist Pakistan and deny it financial bailouts, till such time as it can roll up its terror infrastructure. This also serves US interests, as it would like to see a stable Afghanistan when it leaves.

New Delhi and Washington should work closely together on this. Today alongside us, Afghanistan and Iran are celebrating. India should, in addition, work with the US, EU and other major powers to impose tough sanctions on Pakistan’s military-ISI elite which drives its security policies and much else in the country. Such sanctions would quickly bring Pakistan around, and the argument for them can be reinforced by putting the international community on notice that further terror outrages such as 26/11 or Pulwama will lead to an automatic military response from India.