NEW DELHI quickly blamed Pakistan for the Pulwama attack. The allegation was made even before the Indian forensic lab and National Investigation Agency teams visited the site of the attack at Lethpora, some 30 km from Srinagar on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway, took photographs and videos and collected samples from the 15-mile area for forensic examination.

The Indian Express issue of Feb 16 carried a news report that speculates: “High-grade RDX explosive weighing about 80 kilogramme was used in the suicide attack.”

The Hindu (Feb 16) states: “100-150 kgs of the explosive was used. Investigating `agencies have also taken tower dumps of the attack area to filter out suspicious calls and those made in around the same time as the attack.”

The Hindustan Times (Feb16) carries a report stating there is no word yet from the investigators.

The architect of the so-called ‘surgical strikes’, retired Lt Gen D.S. Hooda of Northern Command fame, has urged New Delhi to avoid such “sad and baseless knee-jerk reactions.” He says: “It is not possible to bring such massive amounts of explosives by infiltrating the border.”

The social media is abuzz with reports that the bomber was a radicalised Kashmiri youth wanting revenge because an Indian soldier at a check-post made him hop around his jeep while rubbing his nose to the ground.

Akbar Javed Minhas
Islamabad

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THE Indian government has blamed Pakistan for the Pulwama attack killing 44 soldiers of its occupation forces by a Kashmiri youth, while Islamabad has rejected the ludicrous allegations as irresponsible.

One fails to understand why despite having one of the largest intelligence agencies — RAW — India failed to avert this attack.

The Modi government has always fanned tension between both countries by blaming Pakistan for every ill that befalls it. India should know terrorism is a problem in the entire region, and India has perpetrated it in Pakistan at regular intervals.

On the other hand, New Delhi’s atrocities in Inidan occupied Kashmir are on the rise and hundreds of defenceless children and women have been martyred since January 2018.

India should stop these atrocities and resolve the Kashmir issue through peaceful dialogue.

The world community and the United Nations should take steps to stop New Delhi’s savagery and resolve the Kashmir issue.

Imtiaz Junejo
Hyderabad

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2019