The incident is further proof that Pakistan's intentions are far from honourable. It is now a fortnight since the Indian government has called off the Kargil operations. It was presumed that the Pakistan government would withdraw its forces, including the so-called Mujahideen, from Indian territory. While they have withdrawn from most of the occupied areas in the face of relentless artillery fire from the Indian forces, the Pakistani guns continue to boom forcing the Indians to retaliate. Hence even after the war is officially over, the body bags of Indian soldiers continue to be flown from the border posts. What's worse, faced withIndia's strong response, Pakistan has been increasingly turning to terrorism as is borne out by a series of terrorist attacks in Kashmir. The attempt is to carry on the proxy war it has been waging with India for more than a decade. The recent bomb blasts in Assam that have disrupted train movement in the North-east are a pointer to the danger Pakistan's Inter-Service Intelligence agency poses to India's security. Despite this, the Pakistan government has the temerity to demand that India hold talks with it on resolving the Kashmir dispute. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee is therefore fully justified in turning down such suggestions as long as Pakistan persists with its hostility.

What all this adds up to is that the deescalation that was expected when the Kargil operations were called off has not materialised. Far from that, the two countries seem once again to be moving towards a confrontationist stance. This would be disastrous for both countries and war-mongers on both sides of the border must bekept on a tight leash. With its economy in a shambles, Pakistan would be wise not to raise temperatures in the region, while India is to face a general election soon, one in which Kargil has already become the central issue when development and social welfare issues should have engaged the attention of the electorate. A confrontation at this juncture will only vitiate the atmosphere further. It is, therefore, in the larger interests of both Pakistan and India that they desist from any action that could disturb peace in the region.