"Pak wouldn't be a violent mess if leaders had been serious about rooting out militancy"

Islamabad, Dec 26 (ANI): Pakistan would not be the violent mess that it is if the country's leaders had ever united against Islamist militancy as they have against India over the past three weeks.

A leading Pakistani paper said in its editorial that these are tough words for us to swallow perhaps, but nevertheless true.

Terrorism has blighted this nation and other than die-hard security state loyalists few would argue that the growing menagerie of militants, terrorists and the like has served Pakistan's interests, at home or abroad, Dawn said.

The Mumbai terror attacks represented a frightening new capacity for militants to perhaps coordinate their actions across borders in South Asia.

In Mumbai, the militants went for India's economic hub; what's to stop them from upping the ante in Pakistani cities next? The Marriott bombing and attacks in cities across the country indicate that militants are pursuing an agenda beyond seeing the Indian state cow before the Pakistani state. India has made it clear that it is determined to ensure Pakistan's compliance on the latter, a position that keeps alive the possibility of conflict if Pakistan drags its feet, the paper said.

The international community must emphasise to India that it should be pragmatic about the process for dismantling militant groups. However, an honest appraisal of the Mumbai aftermath would reveal a missed opportunity so far in Pakistan.

However, there is an unfortunate tendency in Pakistan to only look at half the problem.

Not allowing the terrorists to win, i.e. preventing war between the two countries is not the same as defeating the terrorists, which would require meaningful action against jihadi networks. (ANI)