Author: Our Political Bureau
Publication: The Economic Times
Date: October 3, 2001
Introduction: 'Pak must understand
there is a limit to India's patience'
There has been a sudden spurt in
tensions between India and Pakistan. New Delhi today upped the ante by
warning Islamabad that its patience was running out after yesterday's attack
on the J&K Assembly by a Pakistan-based terrorist outfit. It said this
has raised questions about the country's security and these have to be
addressed in the 'supreme national interest'.
The sentiment was conveyed by Prime
Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in a letter to US President George Bush,
making it clear that India would be forced to take extraordinary measures
to tackle Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. The unusually strong letter is
obviously pregnant with meaning as it is possible to read into it a threat
of action.
In his terse five-para, Mr Vajpayee
told the American Prez: "We don't want to overload your agenda. However,
incidents of this kind raise questions for our security which, as a democratically-elected
leader of India, I have to address in our supreme national interest. Pakistan
must understand that there is a limit to the patience of the people of
India'.
The strongly-worded letter draws
Mr Bush's attention to the fact that yesterday's attack was carried out
by Jaish-e-Mohammad, a Pakistan-based terrorist organisation, which has
not only publicly claimed responsibility but has also named a Pakistani
national, Wajahat Husain, as one of the suicide bombers. The attack has
already claimed 37 lives, mostly civilians, and the toll might rise further.
