Let-off for Hafiz Saeed?

THE absence of a dialogue can hurt, especially if the only Indian strategy to rein in Pakistan is an endless supply of verbal fusillade. Pakistan seized its moment as soon as US President Donald Trump telegraphed his appreciation for its army rescuing five Western hostages from the clutches of the Haqqani network. A day later, the Punjab government (Pakistan) told the Supreme Court that it will not press ahead with militant leader Hafiz Saeed’s incarceration for the fifth time under the anti-terrorism legislation. The Pakistan administration did not feel the need to continue with the façade of pretending to rein in one of its strategic assets once it successfully pulled off the caper of “rescuing” Western hostages from a militant organisation mentored by the spy agency, ISI. Sections of the media will make much of this let off but the fact is that Saeed and his cohorts will remain under house arrest under another law.

Pakistan is currently divided over the usefulness of its resident militant leaders. The ISI wants to de-radicalise militant-linked organisations by bringing them into political processes. Saeed duly formed a political party and contested the byelections featuring former PM Nawaz Sharif’s wife. But a section of the Pakistani establishment was not pleased with this rather blatant attempt to whitewash a militant organisation. Its election commission has refused to register his political party because it has links with militants and accused by the US and India of involvement in the Mumbai attacks. This is Pakistan at its quintessential enigmatic best: If a door is shut, a window remains open.

However, India under PM Modi has gone through one of the longest estrangements with Pakistan in recent times. The various dialogue formats in the past always helped resurrect the relationship after a period of bitterness. The US seemed to be siding with the Indian approach soon after Trump became President. It may not bother with India’s woes if the Pakistani army appears to be playing ball in Afghanistan. India needs to find its mojo to deal with Pakistan. Raining down verbal fire is neither helpful nor sustainable.