Governments and world leaders are worried about a possible surge in violence between India and Pakistan after the bloody attacks in Mumbai that killed at least 195 people, including many foreign nationals. To ease tensions, intelligence officials are searching urgently for clues that might identify the attackers even as Indian officials claim “elements in Pakistan” were involved. The world has its fingers crossed in hopes of reducing the Indian anger over the attacks in which the most populated and industrial Indian city bore three of the worst days of its recent history. Indian anger was obvious right from the beginning as the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh addressed his nation on TV and radio.

Surprisingly the language of the Indian Prime Minister showed no variation from his predecessors. Indian officials have historically blamed Pakistan and its Inter-Services Intelligence Agency which goes under the well known title and acronym of ISI. This time though the scale of the attack was much greater than the previous acts of terrorism in India; the tactics applied by the terrorists were also very much different. More surprisingly, this time, Pakistan hasn’t only rejected the Indian claims but has also been pretty serious in the issue. I can’t recall any act of terrorism in India that has caused the Pakistani government to call emergency meetings. But why this time? Never before has any ISI representative openly visited India under his title to investigate or share information, why this time? Any Pakistani official may come up with an answer that both Pakistan and India had signed a counter-terrorism pack under which spying agencies’ chiefs could visit each other’s countries, in case needed. But why wasn’t any Indian spying official called to Pakistan when Islamabad was burning?

In the case of Mumbai’s Taj Mahal and Oberoy Hotels, Pakistan was once again accused. The accused nation is now preparing to defend its case. Over the media, the Pakistani officials were the first to condemn such a cowardice act right from the president to the members of the parliament. It was even unfortunate to happen at a time when a high level Pakistani delegation, led by the Pakistani Foreign Minister, was in Delhi for talks and for bringing closer the people of the two countries that have regarded each other as ‘worst enemies’ since their creation in 1947.

Whatever the Pakistanis do, Indians are angered and now they are openly accusing their neighbor of having stabbed in its back by talking of peace on the one hand and of supporting the terrorist outfits in India on the other. However, Pakistanis are no less than the Indians; they were quick to condemn the attacks and proposing for cooperation by even sending representatives of their intelligence agency, setting a tradition that has no history in the sub-continent. In addition, the Pakistani officials have assured their Indian counterparts of unceasing support in their efforts to find out as who was involved in these inhuman acts that left nearly 200 Indians and foreign nationals dead.

Armed with nuclear arsenal, both countries now need to work closely to avoid a military clash over this issue and think wisely for the safety of those who are alive. Interestingly, in these two countries, the living citizens don’t have that value as the dead. In other words, their masses are simply a grave-worshipping public. But the time has come for the people of both nations to open their eyes and accept the reality that those who fell victim to this inhuman act can’t be brought back. However, what the nations can do is to vow not to allow miscreants destroy their trust which they have established at a very heavy price. It will not be wise either to rush to a conflict of accusations as it will bring no fruit other than embarrassment, once it is proved wrong.

Now as this article is coming to an end, I can see on news channels the breaking news that India is threatening of waging a possible war against Pakistan which I believe is not a wise decision because India better knows that it can do no harm to Pakistan by increasing the troops level on the borders. No peace-loving nation or civilian would like to see war anymore. At this point, I am reminded that history is the story of events out of which we never learn. India must act wisely and learn from history that by imposing war on a nation like Pakistan is not going to reap any results. Rather, it will find itself trapped in a relationship of distrust - a distrust that will cause an irreparable loss to the people of the two nations who managed to come closer to one another through cultural exchange programs and co-productions in film industries etc. As a common, peace-loving civilian, I wish the leaders could hear the crying hearts of the victims’ relatives who would never wish to see others in trouble because of the menace of war.

The choice of what to do is very clear to the two nations? Should we fight childisly over petty issues or think like wise men who come around a table of talks and unhide those who are trying to keep the two nations in the rows of underdeveloped nations while both have a very strong potential of joining the rows of the developed world. Another war after five fruitless wars in the Indo-Pak history will bring nothing but more suffering to the poverty- stricken people of India and Pakistan.