Adil Najam
In a tragic development – and what is clearly the most serious threat to recent headways in the India-Pakistan peace process – a train bound from India to Pakistan (Samjhota Express) caught fire, reportedly because of two crude home-made bombs which exploded. Over 60 people are reported dead, most of them Pakistanis returning home, but the death toll also includes many Indians, including some Indian officials.
Here are some details, according to the BBC:
At least 64 people have been killed in a series of explosions and a fire on a Pakistan-bound train in the northern Indian state of Haryana, officials say. Passengers reported hearing two blasts as the train passed near Panipat, about 80km (50 miles) north of Delhi. The train – the Samjhauta Express – was part of a service taking passengers from Delhi to Lahore in Pakistan. A spokesman for Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the explosions were probably an “act of terror”. A number of other passengers were injured, and officials say the death toll may rise. The Samjhauta Express is one of two train services connecting India and Pakistan. After a two-year gap, it was reopened in 2004 as part of the peace process between the two countries.
Bloomberg adds the following information:
The blasts, which occurred after 11 p.m. last evening, were caused by crude explosives and struck two coaches of the train, India’s Railways Minister Lalu Prasad told reporters today in a televised interview in New Delhi. Pakistan condemned the blasts, saying India must conduct a thorough investigation into the act of terrorism. The train service between Indian and Pakistan is used by people who can’t afford air travel between the nuclear-armed neighbors that fought three wars since independence from British rule in 1947 and started talks to improve relations in 2003. The divided Himalayan territory of Kashmir is at the center of a dispute between the two countries that claim the region in full….
“Preliminary investigations show most of the victims are Pakistanis,” Pakistan’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said in a phone interview from capital Islamabad today. “We expect India to conduct a thorough inquiry to find out the reasons behind this act.” The Pakistan High Commission in the Indian capital is being informed about possible casualties, zonal railways official B.N. Mathur said. A railway guard manning a signal cabin on the route between Delhi and Attari heard two explosions when the train crossed the station near Panipat, a refinery town, Mathur told reporters from the blast site….
India had the responsibility of providing security to the train in its part of the country, Aslam said, refusing to comment on the impact of the blasts on peace talks between the two countries. “We don’t know the motive behind the blasts.”
Pakistan has recently seen a spate of bombings in its major cities, and even before this some in government were pointing towards a ‘foreign hand’ in these bombings. Both countries have long played this game of ‘blame the foreign hand’, including in the recent tragic train bombings in Mumbai. The impulse to do so at the first sign of trouble is a natural one in the sub-continent. Given the deep distrust that exists between the two, it may even be understandable. But irrespective of the short-term political gains such finger-pointing might gain, it is not a very useful way to deal with deep tensions. One certainly hopes that this will not slide to that level and if, indeed, the purpose of those who did this terrible act was to hurt the peace process, then both countries will work together to make sure that this does not happen.
It is a good sign that Pakistan has announced that the visit by the Pakistan Foreign Minister to India will not be canceled. The signals from the Pakistan Foreign Ministry are sober but reasonable. According to The News:
Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri Monday condemned a train blast in India which killed at least 66 people as a “horrendous act of terrorism” and said most of the victims were Pakistanis. Kasuri said he had asked the Indian government to investigate the incident overnight on a Samjhota Express. “It is a horrendous act of terrorism,” Kasuri told reporters during a function at the foreign office. “I would like the Indian government to investigate this incident. We are waiting for the results of the investigation,” he said. The minister said he had instructed the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi to send staff to the site to help Pakistan nationals caught up in the blast.
The main leaders in India, including the Prime Minister and President, have also sent the right signals, including condolences to those who have died. The overtures from both sides are to focus on finding the terrorists who committed this atrocity. One hopes that their attentions will remain focussed on this purpose rather than succumbing to the impulse of scoring political points through the unwarranted politics of incrimination. Most of all, one hopes that neither country will allow the peace process to be derailed by this blast.
Mahi, could you please do us Pakistanis a favor and stop trying to bring this complex matter down to such simple terms. Our brains are only designed to handle complications and may implode under the lack of pressure.
@Aqil: here’s a honest opinion on Kashmir.
India used force to annex the princely states of Junagadh and Hyderabad. Pakistan decides to do the same with Kashmir (tribal uprising and all). Certainly within its rights but runs into opposition when the king appeals to and gets the Indian army to support him. Divided Kashmir is the result. To me, the whole princely states issue was a land grab business.
Would India have occupied Kashmir had Pakistan not attempted a take-over? Maybe, maybe not. Who knows. Simply, grabbing is always a question of power. I think both countries got what their then leadership and power was capable of. I dont believe there is any other higher ground argument here. If there is, please enlighten me.
In addition to being honest, this is my realist’s view.
This is potentially degenerating into another ridiculous exchange, possibly even a Pakistan-India fight, people are more interested in arrogantly lecturing others, distorting what they are saying and accusing them of what they have never said to shout out what they don’t want to hear.
I see no point in continuing further on this thread only to repeat the same arguments over and over again, if someone thinks referring to military occupation makes me an apologist of the ‘Islamic’ groups, then they are welcome to keep on imagining whatever their fertile imagination leads them to believe, just one request, go pick a fight with someone else and please do let me know when you ever manage to convert someone to your opinion by conducting a debate in such a condescending manner without even listening to what the other person is saying.
Hopefully my last comments on this thread (unless there is something really worth responding to):
Talking of denying facts, violance against civilians, whether by groups fighting in the name of Islam or occupation forces claiming to be fighting terrorism, are acts of terrorism and need to be clearly condemned. Anyone trying to shout down others and cermonizing them to focus on one and not the other is either deliberately being dishonest or living in a fantasy world.
To any Indians offended by my reference to military occupation: calling an issue resolved when you are the occupation force is the easiest and most self-serving position. Today, when East Pakistan is mentioned, most Pakistanis admit that we were wrong there, hope that one day, Indians also muster some moral courage on Kashmir.
The arguments on both sides of the Kashmir issue are well-known, no point in repeating them endlessly, Pakistan has essentially been left with no choice but to back out of Kashmir and it is going to be ‘resolved’ (if you can hypocritically call it that) by accepting Indian’ ‘dada giri’ over what it occupies, so congratulations to the Indians. Just do us a favour, stop cermonizing us and pretending that you are a peace loving lot while Pakistanis are some war mongerers. When you are willing to take an honest position on Kashmir, I will be happy to respect you for your courage, but for now, you can grab on to Kashmir and be happy with it.
Your country has made strong recent economic gains, congratulations and best wishes to you.
In the midst of a dehumanizing incident like this, some reassurance that humanity is not dead.
http://www.indianexpress.com/story/23762.html
Hunt for bombers gathers momentum
Pakistani passenger’s blind courage led to recovery of bombs at the heart of the unfolding investigation
http://www.hindu.com/2007/02/21/stories/2007022107 821200.htm