Rushali Saha
In the wake of the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam — initially claimed by The Resistance Force (TRF), an affiliate of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba — India-Pakistan relations have deteriorated dangerously. Based on evidence of “cross-border linkages,” the Indian government has blamed the terror attack on Islamabad and acted against it by suspending the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, among other measures.
Islamabad has denied involvement in the attack and has announced a series of “tit-for-tat” responses, which include holding all bilateral agreements with India, including the 1972 Simla Agreement, in abeyance. The Pakistan Senate even passed a resolution describing the attack as an “orchestrated campaign to malign Pakistan,” suggesting that New Delhi was “exploiting terrorism narratives for political gain.”
In the aftermath of the attack, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi received calls from at least 16 foreign leaders, who condemned the attack. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came out strongly in support of India, describing the act as an “Islamic terrorist attack.” In light of concerns of military escalation between two nuclear-armed nations, countries such as the United States and United Kingdom have taken a more balanced approach, calling upon both New Delhi and Islamabad to behave responsibly. Referring to the historical conflict in the disputed border region, U.S. President Donald Trump remarked that India and Pakistan will “sort it out one way or another,” indicating no appetite in Washington to engage in mediatory efforts.
No comments:
Post a Comment