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| NSG Commandos Republic day 2015 (Image: Wiki Commons) |
By Hamzah Rifaat
The attacks at Pathankot are best understood as a tactical maneuver by spoilers in Pakistan.
Terrorism is best defined as an operational technique which involves the use or the threat of using violence to deliver a message to a wider target audience. The January 3 Pathankot attack on a base of the Western Air Command of the Indian Air Force, resulting in the deaths of seven security forces personnel and six attackers, is a classic example of terror acting as a spoiler for diplomatic initiatives
Firstly, the timing of the attack is significant. It comes in the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Lahore after previously addressing the Afghan parliament and striking a mammoth defense deal with Russia. His visit was viewed as a possible ice breaker for both governments, which could put tensions from 2015, such as line-of-control (LOC) skirmishes and the cancellation of NSA level talks, behind them.
Given that senior BJP officials have been more nuanced in their bashing of Pakistan after the event, it is clear that there is a realization that this attack was aimed at ensuring that prospects for bilateral cooperation do not materialize between the BJP government and the PML-N government in Pakistan.
Read the full story at The Diplomat