THE UNITED States has taken a U-turn on the terrorism issue. The US administration has flagged green signal for Pakistan to ensure that those responsible for the Mumbai terror strike are punished inside the country instead of being extradited to India. This indicates a clear change in the US attitude, which previously backed the Indian demand of handing over the terror suspects to India.
The US experts believe that if US insists on Indian demand of extradition of the culprits, Pakistan may undergo instability, as nascent ‘democracy’ in Pakistan may get jeopardised to extremists and the army.
And also if there is no extradition treaty between the two countries, India and Pakistan, it is very difficult for Pakistan to hand over the Mumbai perpetrators to India.These all are a way to escape from the real issue and fulfill it’s own interest.
Mukherjee insisted that an extradition treaty was not needed for handing over three suspects Dawood Ibrahim, Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Maulana Masood Azhar and Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi of the Lashkar-e-Taiba that India says, staged the November 26 attack in Mumbai.
That’s very true, as massacre at such large scale by the perpetrators could not be considered as common issue. If 9/11 terrorist strike was considered as common as any simple attack, the US had no right to attack on Taliban in Afghanistan. If the US had the right to strike Saddam out of power without clear evidence, why is it turning its stand despite being aware of all the facts about Mumbai perpetrators?
Now that Pakistan has produced all the evidences about the perpetrators behind Mumbai strike by India, US and the FBI, Pakistan should consider it seriously. India should look for alternatives to bring perpetrators to book of justice.
In my previous article - ’ The pros and cons of associating with US’, I have warned against the US strategy on international issues. Now the issue is what compelled the US to change its opinion on the issue of Mumbai strike culprits, taking shelter in Pakistan? Is it America’s fear of harm in the war against the Taliban and the Al-Qaida in Afghanistan, as Pakistan played a key supporting role in this war?
The fact is that the United States is still stuck with underground militants in Afghanistan and it desperately requires the help of Pakistani government to eradicate Talibanis from the war land. In a way, the US is dependent on Pakistan and Pakistan is taking advantage of this situation.
From this situation, anyone can easily make out that the biggest power of the world hardly cares about its stand on international issues, all it sights over is its personal interests. It’s high time for the US to understand that it’s stand on such grave issues gives air to international terrorism, which in turn poisons the life of common people living in peaceful conditions.
It is very strange to see America committing such mistakes, as it should have learnt its lesson from the 9/11, which was a direct result of its strange policies during Cold War.On one hand, the US fights against terrorism and on the other, protects its perpetrators. Keeping in view the international policies of our ally, US, we should better not trust anyone and fight the battle against terrorism on our strength and capacity.