Uri terror attack: 5 reasons why isolating Pakistan globally won’t be easy

In the wake of the Uri attack, India has vowed to isolate Pakistan internationally by highlighting its alleged support to terror elements. It had tried to adopt a similar strategy after the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which left 166 people dead. However, turning Pakistan into an international pariah is a task that’s more easily said than done. Here are a few reasons why:

Little condemnation of Pak

India has blamed the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed for the Uri attack. However, few countries have directly named Pakistan in their condemnation messages. While the UK referred to Uri as a part of “India-administrated Kashmir”, the US dubbed it as an attack in the Valley without specifically referring to Pakistan. Even Russia made a qualified mention of the Islamic country, stating: “We are also concerned about the fact that, according to New Delhi, the army base near Uri was attacked from Pakistani territory.”

Leverage problem

Pakistan is a useful ally to superpowers, including US and the UK, and this gives it considerable leverage on the international arena. The fact that the Islamic country’s economy is in a shambles doesn’t seem to matter.

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The China wall

India has been trying to use the United Nations sanctions committee to tighten the noose on Pakistan-based individuals who are targeting India. However, such efforts have consistently run into opposition from China. Unless India procures Chinese support through painstaking diplomacy and a smart give-and-take approach, Beijing would have little incentive to annoy Pakistan.

Two-timing US

The US has been playing both sides for years now, as far as Indo-Pakistan relations are concerned. One of the main reasons why the Americans are loathe to upset Pakistan is its geographical position. As long as its troops are stationed in Afghanistan and the peace process in the strife-torn country remains a non-starter, the US will continue to perform the balancing act.

OIC support

In spite of all its shortcomings, Islamabad always plays smart when it comes to shuffling its diplomatic cards. Pakistan enjoys the backing of the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC), even though many of its member nations share India’s concerns in private.

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First Published: Sep 21, 2016 08:06 IST