Act against attackers if they are Pakistanis, says columnist

Islamabad, Jan 5: Pakistan must cooperate with India in nabbing the masterminds of the terror attack on the IAF base in Punjab if they happen to be Pakistanis, a columnist said in remarks published on Tuesday.

"Pakistan must cooperate in nabbing the planners if they're proven to be in Pakistan," Islamabad-based Marvi Sirmed wrote in The Nation newspaper.

"Both the states should make sure that the dialogue must go on. Come what may," she added.

Terrorists believed to be from Pakistan attacked the Indian Air Force (IAF) base at Pathankot in Punjab before dawn on Saturday, leaving seven security personnel dead. Security forces killed five terrorists.

Calling the attack "dastardly", she noted that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condoled the deaths while strongly condemning the attack.

Sirmed said most Pakistan-India observers were anticipating such a terror attack, ever since Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi surprised the world by flying into Lahore to meet Sharif on Christmas.

"Just like the method in madness, there has been a long sustaining pattern of things between Pakistan and India.

"Every advance in the peace process has followed an incidence like this. When the recent thaw happened, many suggested that both the countries must devise a contingency for the apprehended obstacles and obstructions."

She said Pakistan must stop being seen on the side of the alleged attackers.

"When we scream to the world that we are the biggest victims of terror, we must be seen doing something against the scourge.

"Not allowing these elements taking our image in their hands, as a starter."

IANS