Post-hijack Tension

WHEN the Indian Airlines hijack drama finally came to an end on the new year's eve, beneath the surface of a pervasive sense of relief there was a strong apprehension of an aggravation in the already-strained Indo-Pak relations. With one country insinuating the other whenever things went wrong between them mutual mistrust and suspicion had hit the roof anyway. And it is the hijackers' demand for release of three Kashmiri militants that only convinced the Indians of Pakistan pulling the strings from behind. On top of all, rumours that the hijackers may have crossed the Afghan border into Pakistan only fanned the fire. As if that was not enough, Pakistan's military ruler General Parvez Musharraf on Sunday blared out, "dialogue with New Delhi would be first on Kashmir and then on other issues".

In the coming days, the belligerence look highly likely to intensify. Given a rather long history of hostility between the two nations and the armed showdown along the Line of Control in Kargil last May, the latest turn in Indo-Pak relations certainly bodes ill for regional peace and harmony. The fact that both are new members of the nuclear family makes the situation even more frightening. Apparently, both India and Pakistan are oblivious that the situation as it is now and the serious turn it might take would only be detrimental to their own interest, not to speak of the dark clouds being cast over the SAARC region.

Therefore, both should refrain from such a self-defeating exercise and try to create an environment to work together as part and parcel of the global fight against terrorism. Indeed, the Indian media claim that the release of the Kashmiri militants has "set a bad precedent in the war against separatism" is rational; however, at the same time, it is true as well that "there was no option left" for the Indian government. The best way to get over the hijack hangover would be to speed up the anti-terrorist drive under the SAARC umbrella. Active participation and co-operation within that framework would certainly strengthen the region's contribution to global war against terrorism.