Last Sunday’s bomb blast near the Lal Masjid in Islamabad occurred while thousands of Pakistanis had gathered to protest peacefully against the government's crackdown against the mosque one year ago. The blast was carried out with precision. It killed a score of policemen. It was a message -- most likely a message from some pro-Al Qaida outfit. Has the Pakistan government understood the message and its implications?
On Monday a suicide bomber exploded at the door of the Indian embassy in Kabul killing thirty, including four Indians. Have the Indian and Afghanistan governments understood the implications of what is unraveling? Has any South Asian government appreciated the dimensions of the challenge confronting the subcontinent?
India is familiar with terrorism. But there is a crucial difference between terrorism in India and terrorism in Pakistan. Terrorism in India is perceived by the overwhelming majority to be pro-Pakistan and anti-India. So, while terrorist acts cut and bleed the nation, they do not significantly divide it. In Pakistan, terrorism is perceived to be pro-Pakistan. Terrorists enjoy considerable support in the public and among covert sections of Pakistan's ruling establishment. Terrorist acts in Pakistan, if not squarely confronted and quickly contained, could result in polarizing the people to disintegrate Pakistan.