Dear Pakistan probe team, India owes you nothing, don't mistake the invitation for weakness

The invitation to the Pakistan investigative team including ISI members to come to Pathankot was seen as a goodwill courtesy and not as an open house. Largely, the access was aimed at sharing the evidence that India had gathered on the Pathankot terror attack — not an unguided tour of the air force facilities. By the same token this call to interrogate Indian service personnel was not on the cards. To now say that India is thwarting the process borders on the absurd. If you take the history of anti-Indian ops that had their genesis in Pakistan these guys should not even be here in what is purely an experiment in co-operation and not a surrender of our sovereign rights. The Pakistan probe team has got this all wrong — it all becomes ironic is that the protests are being done against the backdrop of the accusation that RAW (read India) was the convenient hand behind the bombing in the park in Lahore. [caption id=“attachment_2700858” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  A file photo of the Pathankot rescue operations. AP[/caption] How RAW got hold of a suicide bomber is, of course, not explained but can you even visualize Pakistan allowing an equivalent Indian posse being given access to their wounded city because after all, they are into the predictable process of convincing themselves India was behind it. The moon will turn to green cheese before that happens. For Pakistan to not look inwards but explain away every such destruction of civilians as an Indian act is only to play ostrich till the next bloodbath. As for this initiative in Pathankot perhaps the Indo-Pak equation is not yet strong enough to accommodate such a mature diplomatic move. The Centre might like to reconsider its gesture of hospitality in case the tea party is ruined because our guests deliberately sit on the cake. Instead of being co-operative and absorbing the ramifications of the evidence being shown, the aim clearly seems to be to obfuscate the issue by yelling foul. Hopefully, before they arrived, the Centre had a written document outlining exactly what the parameters of this visit are. Even if not, we are not duty bound to offer anything. Let the Centre make it clear that this gesture not be misunderstood as weakness. If, in any way, this invitation threatens India’s integrity or its security, the Wagah border is not very far. We all know that the visit is not going to produce anything of consequence. Not as if India and Pakistan are going to go dancing into the sunset nor is there any guarantee that India will not be targeted again. So, take what’s at the party, gentlemen, be grateful you were allowed to come this far.