Late last night a series of bomb explosions took place in thye train that links India and Pakistan killing nearly 70 passengers. The blasts took place around midnight whenb theassengers were fast asleep and in the ensuing fire several ore were killed. The tragedy happened near Panipat, a station on the way. This train named Samjhautha Express which roughtly trnslates as Friendship Express and was introduced by7 the former government in order to bring the people of the two countries together. Such meanigful gestures of staesmanship cannot be expected grom the CXongress regime that heads a rag tag coalition in Dehhi.
The Government of India was quick to blamr terrorist from Pakistan based militant outfits like the Jaish-e- Mohammad and the Lashkar-e- Toiba for the attack. This refrain has becomnek response of the Government at New Delhi for all terrorist attacks. In July there were a series of blasts on a suburban train in Mumbai and once again the Government of India blamed the Government of Pakistan for aiding and abetting terrorism. Not once has the Governemnt accepted the fact that its own criminal incompetence contributed to such tragedies. It is well known that the train with its high symbolic value will be target of terrorist attack and yet the security in the station was so poor that bombs were planted in haf a dozen traoin cars. The Railway Ministry is currently headed by a convicted criminal whose only contribution to Indian politics is progressive crimanalisation of the democtratic process.
Thge present Governemnt is totaslly incapable of dealing with internal and external terrorism. The constant drumbeat of MUslim deprevation provided a fertile ground for home grown terrorism and there is no need to point fingers at Pakistan. The Government appointed a panel called the Sachar Panel whose sole purpose was to fan the fires of Muslim resentment and the attack on the train is proof.
Pakistan is also0 paying the price for flirting with terrorism, and General Parvez Musharaf has shown great courage in the manner in which he has faced upto the challengew. Unfortuantely the gun and narco culture is so deeply rooted in the fractured society of the region that terrorism has now spread into every nook and corner of Pakistan. Thye regimne of Gen Zia-ul-Haq in the name of fighting the Sovits in Afghanoistan allwed the CIA to funnel 4.6 billion dollars of military aid to the Mujahudin in Afghanistan and Pakistan is now paying the price for that fol;ly. By joining the war on terror on the American side, Pakistan has now becomne the recriting ground for every kind of terrorism, a fact acknowledged recently by thye Head of the CIA.