The Setback

After the horrible attacks on Indian soil ended on 29 November of this year, it became painstakingly evident that with or without any hard evidence the public perception would point its finger to Pakistan for being a country not unwillingly hosting criminal organisations supporting Islamic extremists.

Lashkar-e-Taibah was considered to be the driving force behind the terrorists who supposedly entered Mumbai’s at the Gateway to India by sea and spread terror and chaos at two luxury hotels, the Jewish centre, Mumbai’s rail terminus, the Cama Hospital and Leopold’s café. Leaving many victims after having carried out a thoroughly run through siege in the hart of the city.

While the attacks were unfolding and the world became its minute-by-minute witness the Pakistani government failed to respond appropriately. While world leaders were speaking of horrific sentiment, the Pakistani public PR machine failed to start up as if it was temporarily hit by WAPDA load shedding.

It did not take long to see Indian officials starting their well powered blame game strategy. Which focussed the world’s attention to small towns in the Punjab where the terrorists had been recruited.

While the media enjoyed reporting a story while being unfolded slowly, the Pakistani elite was slowly coming to grips with the new reality. 

Long before the attacks Pakistan was a nation with a proud and mainly military elite, the East border with India was heavily guarded and although an official cease-fire existed, at both sides of the Kashmiri border the stage was set for a mini version of the cold war.

A Game of Shatranj

Since the United States and its allies started with their war on terrorism, Pakistan’s historical geographical strategic importance was once again underlined. Pakistan joined the war and needed to counter Afghanistan’s border.

This required the Pakistanis to release pressure on the Eastern border and transfer its troops to the West. And so, Musharraf took the initiative to endorse the Indian government, and strengthen ties between both countries.

While both national cricket teams were bringing fans together and desi hospitality proved to be astonishingly similar on both sides, the Pakistani army drastically shifted troops from a historically strategic East border to join the West.

The transition seemed to work out textbook perfect, although some trouble in tribal areas still did concern some of Pakistan’s new allies, the Islamabad’s flag car elite patted itself on its own shoulder for its brave success.  Pakistan was in peace with India and felt to be set on track towards the first world.

As internal unrest started to develop, the elite failed to respond to Baluchistan’s destabilisation, militants became increasingly aware of the little resistance domestic public forces could offer. Handing over Peshawar and not much later bomb blasts were reported in the safe haven Lahore used to be and the political centre of Islamabad.

Checkmate

Back to November 29, while Zardari nervously tried starting up the PR back-up power generator, the elite started to feel a little uncomfortable. India, who also decreased military density on the border over the years, started to build-up its troops to a pre-peace level.

Pakistan then realised that the terrorists, whoever they were, with just a dozen of young minds, brought the mighty army apparatus down on its knees. 

For once, the army did not know which border to protect, the west or the east? Slowly, it became painstakingly obvious that this giant well funded army now proved to be utterly useless.