Together on terror

The foreign secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan have ended with one concrete gain, and one potential gain. The major gain is the fact that it actually took place despite the tensions created by the Mumbai blasts and other acts of incipient terror in J038;K. The potential lies in the distinct possibility that the consensus achieved between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Pervez Musharraf in Havana on September 16 has been given a foundation with the setting up of a cross-border mechanism.

Given the history of the Indo-Pak peace process, there can be no doubting that it hinges crucially on the joint mechanism actually delivering. This newspaper has consistently supported such a mechanism despite the widespread cynicism it has evoked in the Indian security establishment, because it recognised this very centrality. Every advance made on the Indo-Pak peace front has invariably been lost after a terrorist strike and one of the more credible ways to address these periodic breakdowns lies in both countries taking ownership of efforts to put an end to such violence. Both Pakistan and its president have a stake in this effort, given the larger war against terror and increasing international pressure on them to address the jihadi network in their backyard.

The joint mechanism, as envisaged, is designed for quick response. It is therefore not unnecessarily encumbered by bureaucratic representation 8212; just three officials from both sides, including security experts. While it is to be headed by additional secretaries, it will ultimately fall under the direct scrutiny of the foreign secretaries of the two countries. Both India and Pakistan will have to invest it with the necessary credibility and seriousness. Neither side now has the luxury of loosely trading charges and counter-charges that have marked the official rhetoric on both sides. Every charge made should be backed by credible evidence that can be testified; and every response should bear the imprimatur of serious examination and follow-up.