More and more evidence has surfaced to prove the involvement of Pakistan’s Inter-Services-Intelligence (ISI) in the Bombay blasts. The arrested persons have admitted that they were trained in Pakistan. That they had entered the country without travel documents is because of ISI’s help.
Ismail Memon alias Tiger Memon is a stooge of Pakistan. He teamed up with the don of the Bombay under-world, Dawood Ibrahim. Indeed Pakistan had decided to use the don and had also blackmailed the narcotic trafficker into toeing its line.
The ISI had intended to trigger a communal riot by storming some Shiv Sena establishments. The plan misfired because everything could work well so long as Tiger Memon was in Bombay but everything went awry immediately after his departure from Bombay 11 March.
The Memon Connection is established thus firmly. The fact that they are somewhere in Pakistan is also clear. Equally clear is the fact that Pakistan will not hand over the Memons because that would prove its guilt to the hill and expose it all the more
It cannot be difficult for Pakistan to trace the Memons on the basis of airline computer data. But it would not. It believes instead in waging a low cost war against India with the help of the ISI. The firming up of the vigil by India on the line of control on the border is timely.
At the same time. India has to bring to the notice of the Western powers full details of the Pak perfidy. They are already concerned about Pak help to militants. The time has arrived for India to get Pakistan declared like Libya a terrorist state shutting out access to Pak civil aircraft anywhere.
This has to be done on an expeditious basis. There is a power struggle raging between the Pakistan Prime Minister, Mr Sharif and its President Mr Isnaq Khan. Some Ministers have resigned. The temptation to divert public attention in that country by crying wolf against India is strong.
The Pakistan Prime Minister and President are wooing political turn-coats The President is launching a strategy through pretending that an extraordinary situation has arisen for the exercise of extraordinary presidential powers. If that clicks, the President may seek to control restiveness by pointing to the threat from India.
Strangely Ms Benazir Bhutto has gone on record saying that if India is balkanized, It could cause grave instability in South Asia. That is her way of commenting on Pak aid to Indian militants. If she succeeds in forcing en masse resignations from, the National Assembly, Sharif will be in peril.
Whatever it be, the fluid political situation in Pakistan can create compromises between rivals who may unite in keeping themselves safe in power by India-baiting. That is one more reason why the Memons will not be extradited and Pakistan has to be declared as a terrorist state.
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