The Indian government has officially declared the recent explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort a terrorist attack, sparking a firm response from Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has promised decisive action against the perpetrators. Preliminary investigative leads are reportedly connecting the incident to Pakistan-based terror networks, including Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. This alleged connection has intensified anxiety within Pakistan regarding a potential forceful response from India.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan convened an emergency meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari and his cabinet to navigate the burgeoning crisis. The atmosphere within Pakistan is described as one of panic, with some ministers reportedly feeling the country is in a “state of war” with India. The blast has reportedly intensified already strained relations and border skirmishes that began earlier this year.
Offering a dose of reality amidst the heightened tensions, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif is said to have advised Prime Minister Sharif that Pakistan’s dire economic situation would not permit it to wage war. He explicitly mentioned that the country’s financial constraints are too significant for conflict with either India or Afghanistan. Simultaneously, in India, the Union Cabinet and the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) held crucial meetings to assess the situation. They observed a two-minute silence in memory of the 12 individuals who lost their lives and the many others injured in the explosion, reaffirming their commitment to a thorough and swift investigation.