Abu Katal alias Qatil, the top commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), wanted for terrorist attacks in India, was killed by unknown gunmen in Jhelum area of ​​Punjab province of Pakistan on the night of 15 March. It is said that during the attack, 43-year-old Katal was with Lashkar-e-Taiba founder and 26/11 with Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind of the Mumbai attack. Hafiz Saeed narrowly survived this attack. Katal was the leading operational commander of a terrorist organization and was involved in planning several attacks in the Tail-Rajouri region of Jammu and Kashmir.
Pakistan’s agencies have termed his death as target killing. But the biggest question is whether the murder of Katal was the result of Lashkar’s internal quarrel or this incident is another murder in the course of mysterious killings of terrorists in Pakistan? The people of Pakistan believe that the murder of Katal is part of the same link. The large section in Pakistan considers the hand of India’s agency Raw. Pakistan journalist and political commentator Qamar Cheema says that India has run a special operation in Pakistan. Cheema also says that Katal’s murder is a clear message for Hafiz Saeed from the Modi government. But the question arises that if India is behind these incidents, then why is Pakistan not openly accusing India like former Canadian PM Justin Trudeau.
If this is the case, then why do Pakistan PM Shahbaz Sharif not open India openly like the former PM. However, such statements keep coming towards sporadic Pakistani officers and leaders in which India is attributed to violent incidents. But till now no official statement in this regard gives rise to suspicious situations of Pakistan. However, there can be many reasons for Pakistan’s silence, which is associated with its internal and external politics, diplomatic equation and strategic interests.
1-Pakistani government and Army do not want to show themselves less than India
The problem with Pakistan is that even if it finds any concrete evidence against India, he will hesitate to tell in front of its people that a country like India is committing murders in it. Be it the government of Pakistan or the army, among our people, we say that we have never lost any war with India. Pakistan has been saying among its people that we had shaken India by committing the Mumbai attack and attack on Parliament.
Kargil warned India by fighting. We are keeping half of India’s share of Kashmir with us. With which mouth will the government and the army talk about the attack on India of the attack in their country? The Pakistan government and its intelligence agency ISI have long been supporting India through organizations like Lashkar-e-Taiba (Let), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JEM) and Hizbul Mujahideen. Many top commanders of these organizations have been killed in Pakistan and Pakistan-official Kashmir (POK). Along with this, there is also a crisis in front of Pakistan that how will he accept in front of the world that these terrorists were living under his protection.
2. International pressure and FATF concern
Pakistan’s economic condition has become so bad that it has stopped getting loans from many Islamic countries. Pakistan is constantly trying to get more loans from the IMF. If Pakistan accuses India like this, then India will prove the allegations of sheltering terrorism on Pakistan. Pakistan has already been in the gray list of Financial Action Task Force (FATF). If he creates more uproar over these murders, then on international forums it can prove that Pakistan is still sheltering terrorists. If Pakistan is once again blacklist, then obviously the possibility of getting a loan will end completely.
3. Do not take conflict with India
After the Indian elections in 2024, another strong government has been formed under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which also took steps like Surgical Strike (2016) and Balakot Air Strike (2019) earlier. Pakistan knows that if it takes a more aggressive stance on this issue, then there can be a strong reply from India, which will affect his safety and diplomacy. Today is both Russia and America with other India. China will also not come to the case of Pakistan against India. Many interests of China are connected to India. There was a time that on such occasions America used to openly protest against India with Pakistan. But today the situation has changed.
4. Difference in the situation in Canada and Pakistan
There is a difference in the situation in Canada and Pakistan. Canada is a member of 5i. On the matter of Canada, the world’s most powerful western countries are forced to speak in its language. Canada’s economic condition is also not like Pakistan. Khalistani elements in Canada are working openly and the government there has given them sympathy. Justin Trudeau of Canada accused India as they wanted to raise international support against India. But the situation in Pakistan is the opposite – if he accuses India, then the world will ask him what these terrorists were doing there?
Sharif is working on a strategy to silence more than 5-5
The government of Pakistan is a minority government which is running on the will of the army. Shahbaz Sharif also knows what happens to those who speak right in Pakistan. Therefore, he is working on a strategy to keep quiet more than speaking. Somehow the strategy to save the government by saving the chair is also better for them. Sharif knows that more ambition means jailed or hanging in Pakistan. If he openly makes allegations against India, then he will also have to give clarification to support his terrorists. Therefore, the Government of Pakistan is trying to save these murders as gang -war, sometimes internal conflict, sometimes by calling the handiwork of unknown attackers.