Islamabad

The Indian city of Mumbai is still rocking from serial metro bombings that, on July 11, left 182 people dead and 900 injured. The slaughter is on a par with the 2004 Madrid train attacks. It is considerably worse than the London bombings, whose first anniversary was observed July 7. Nor were the dead and the lame the only casualties.

On July 15 India told Pakistan that a meeting scheduled for later in the month between their foreign secretaries had been shelved. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said those who carried out the Mumbai bombings were "instigated, inspired and supported by elements across the border without which they could not act with such devastating effect." Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf denied the charge, while offering his country's "help" in any Indian investigation into the bombers. He also said it would be a "sign of defeat" if "such terrorist acts [were] to undermine the historic opportunity of a lasting peace between Pakistan and India." Other officials in Islamabad said India was exploiting the carnage of Mumbai to evade "the issue" at the core of the conflict with Pakistan.

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