As the story is still unfolding layer by layer, it now turns out that Delhi has had a providential escape from a major terror attack which could have caused massive and large scale damage and devastation. Although nine precious lives were lost in the blast on November 10 outside the Red Fort Metro Station, Delhi still seems to have escaped a major and devastating disaster.
Given the huge quantity of explosives recovered by the Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir Police in joint operations around the same time in Faridabad makes it obvious that the designs were more serious and nefarious as those who planned the blast had planned it big.
It cannot be a coincidence that the blast took place within a span of a few hours of the seizure of a huge cache of explosives. Initial clues found by the investigators about the ownership of the car used in the blast and the possible suicide bomber, all suggest that everything was linked together and aimed at doing something more disastrous and devastating in the national capital.
Thanks to the timely action by the security and intelligence agencies that led to the seizure of the huge cache of explosives, otherwise the scale of disaster would have been quite devastating. Even the Delhi blast appeared to have been planned with an aim of maximum damage and loss of lives. As the blast seemed to have been properly planned and executed, its timing conveys obvious intentions. The road crossing where the car blast took place is always crowded and congested around that time during the evening hours. The blast took place at around 7 pm, rush hour everywhere, and more so in Delhi when people are returning from work to their homes.
Another important and significant indicator is that the blast had been planned close to the historic Red Fort, one of the iconic symbols of India’s independence and sovereignty, where the Prime Minister of the country unfurls the national tricolour on every Independence Day.
There is also another aspect that the suspects, identified so far, do not come from economically or socially deprived families. They come from good socio-economic backgrounds and are educationally and professionally well qualified. That they carried out their activities with so much secrecy and subtlety and could not be found out till late is a matter of grave concern. It is like “some lone wolves” getting together without getting caught. Imagine the scale of devastation they would have caused had they not been identified and nabbed well on time.
While the security scenario in the country has improved quite significantly and there have been lesser number of such terror attacks during the last few years, the Delhi blast on Monday evening is a wakeup call that there is no scope for complacency. Particularly when the ISI of Pakistan and its military are desperately trying to keep the terror pot boiling in Kashmir. It is obvious that this time they did not want to carry out a terror act inside Kashmir as the needle of suspicion would get pointed towards Pakistan only and it would have had grave repercussions for the country.
Even now, there is hardly any doubt about the involvement of Pakistan army and the ISI in the Delhi plot. Such a huge quantity of explosives must obviously have been provided by someone and nobody has any doubts as to who this “someone” can be. Also, Pakistan army chief Asim Munir is getting increasingly assertive and aggressive within the country and also towards India. He has already “ordered” an amendment to the constitution of the country thereby making him the head of all the defence forces of the country, including the air force and the navy, besides the army that he is already heading.
Also read: Eight dead as car explodes near Red Fort
There is another reason for Pakistan army chief Munir to continue with his proxy war with India. Pakistan had been baselessly accusing India for all its trouble in Balochistan. It has also been blaming India for the increased activity by the Balochistan Liberation Army and the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, both of whom have become an existential threat to Pakistan’s unity and integrity.
Added to that is the growing enmity between Pakistan and Afghanistan, headed by the Taliban. At the same time Afghanistan has come closer to India with its Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi recently concluding a seven-day visit to the country. Imagine a country that Pakistan treated as its “vassal state” defying it so boldly and even threatening its existence! Pakistan and Afghanistan continue to be hostile towards each other and have already had multiple armed confrontations in the recent past.
Pakistan knows that it cannot challenge India militarily. It sticks to its doctrine of “bleeding India with a thousand cuts.” The country also knows it fully now that India has changed the rules of the game, as India does not mind striking back deep inside Pakistan. This time, Pakistan has tried to play it intelligently by using Indian youth from Kashmir to carry out a major terror act in the heart of India, that is Delhi. Pakistan may have “technically” kept itself safe from any allegation or accusation, but the whole world knows from where the terrorists get their support of all sorts.
Pakistan will never desist from resorting to such acts of terror using any resources it can. Indian intelligence and security agencies will need to be more alert and proactive. They have managed to preempt and avert a major disaster. They still need to look deep as to how such huge quantity of explosives could make its way to Faridabad, the doorsteps of Delhi. This is something very serious which needs to be dealt with very seriously.
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