New Delhi, December 28
India today mulled over two of its primary concerns in the wake of Benazir Bhutto’s assassination: the spill-over effect of Pakistani jihadists and the possibility of Pakistani nuclear weapons falling into wrong hands.

The country’s highest decision-making body on national security and strategic issues - the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) - today reviewed the post-Benazir Bhutto assassination situation and its possible impact on India. The possible threats to India in view of growing destabilisation of Pakistan came up for a thorough discussion at the 90-minute meeting of the CCS, presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The assassination has already had its impact in terms of people-to-people contacts and infrastructural links. Two Indo-Pak train services and as many bus services were cancelled today at the behest of Islamabad. Thar Express (connecting Rajasthan and Pakistani Sind) and Attari Express, which runs between Delhi and Lahore, were cancelled today. Two bus services - Amritsar-Nankana Sahib and Delhi-Lahore - were also cancelled today.

All cancellations took place in view of security considerations cited by Pakistan.

Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service was not due today and there is every likelihood that the service will remain suspended for some time.

The CCS discussed options before India in view of the situation in Pakistan, but it was stressed that there was hardly anything that India could do in Pakistan. The CCS discussed at length the possible fallout for India if Pakistani jihadists were to cross over to India. This could happen in two ways: (i) coming to India in the event of Pakistani forces going all out for them, (ii) infiltrating into India in large numbers if Pakistan plunged into anarchy.

The CCS also discussed India’s representation at Bhutto’s funeral, which was a private affair. New Delhi had approached Islamabad seeking its clearance for the Indian delegates who wanted to go to Pakistan for Bhutto’s funeral. The Pakistan government, however, made it clear that it was not encouraging any foreign guests in view of the security situation. Islamabad cited the example of Bhutto’s husband Asif Zardari who asked former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif not to come for the funeral.

The UPA government had flagmarked external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee to represent India at the funeral. It is still undecided whether India will finally be attending the memorial service for Benazir Bhutto. In case, New Delhi gets the go-ahead signal from Islamabad, Pranab Mukherjee will be representing India.

One point that found favour by the CCS today unanimously was that India was all for Pakistan’s progress and stability as these were the positive indicators of the regional peace.