The investigation into the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch, in which five Indian Army soldiers lost their lives, has prima facie suggested the role of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists. Reports also suggest that there were at least seven LeT terrorists who perpetrated this act of terror. Another Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) has already claimed responsibility for this ambush. Diplomatic and security agency sources say that the motive behind the Poonch attack was to instigate violence in Jammu and Kashmir amid the on-going preparations to hold a G20 event. Pakistan has already objected to the Modi government’s decision to hold meetings in the Indian Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. The third G20 tourism meet is scheduled to be held in the third week of May in Srinagar. It is also widely known that Pakistan does not want to see normal tourism activities in Jammu and Kashmir. There are reports based on intelligence inputs, saying that three of the terrorists crossed over from Pakistan and hid inside the dense forest. These facts are enough and clinching to establish Pakistan’s backing to the terror outfits that perpetrated the Poonch attack three days ago.
Therefore, what goes beyond saying is that cross-border support to terrorism from the Pakistan side continues. In the light of these revelations and facts that nail Pakistan’s nefarious design, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is said to be ready to issue a tough official statement condemning Islamabad over the Poonch attack. Some more evidence will be coming out in days to come. However, at the same time, the global community’s silence over the Poonch attack is disturbing and deplorable. Every single country of the G20 group must call out Pakistan over the Poonch terror attack, as the dastardly attack was also planned to spread fear among the representatives of these nations ahead of the event to be held in Srinagar. Another significant revelation that the international community must take a serious note of is that the probe into the Poonch attack hints at the use of Chinese armour-piercing bullets. Should it not be seen as another evidence of China’s growing involvement in the Pakistan-sponsored proxy war in Jammu and Kashmir? “Made-in-China” drones and weapons have earlier been used by Pakistani smugglers to push narcotics into India. It is in this context that the global community must join India in criticising China as well. India has been demanding that the international community should collectively call out those who provide safe haven to terrorists and stand with them and come to their defence including in the UNSC sanctions regime. Pakistan is the country that provides safe haven to the terror organisations, and China stands with Pakistan in defending the terrorists at the UNSC when proposals are moved to blacklist them. Are the revelations and agencies’ inputs not enough to prove that Pakistan continues to be an “exporter of terrorists”? What is surprising is that Pakistan continues to focus on its “Kashmir agenda” while its focus should be on dealing with its current economic crisis. What is lamentable is that helping terror outfits to spread terror in Kashmir ahead of the G20 event seems to be its priority. India has, therefore, been right in calling Pakistan as an epicentre of terrorism at various international forums. India’s efforts have always been to draw attention of the international community to terror camps which are active in the territories under Pakistan’s control. Since the Poonch attack was part of a larger conspiracy by terrorists and their handlers from across the border to spoil India’s plan to hold the G20 meeting on tourism in Srinagar next month, the international community must collectively deliver a strong message to Pakistan. It goes without saying that such cowardly actions will not deter India from holding the meeting as planned. Significantly, the Poonch attack was perpetrated hours after Pakistan’s announcement that its foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will visit India to attend the meeting of the foreign ministers council of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to be held in Goa next month. It will be a good opportunity for India to give him a blunt message over terrorism in the light of the facts related to the Poonch attack.