Both sides have expressed their resolve to continue with the peace process. However, when soon after the horrible incident President General Pervez Musharraf phoned Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to offer his condolences, the latter told him that preliminary investigations into the explosions indicated that they were linked to elements in Pakistan.
Initially, the Foreign Office in Islamabad responded to his assertion in the usual fashion, rejecting the possibility of such a connection unless the other side could come up with conclusive evidence to that effect. Soon enough, though, it amended its stance.
At the weekly press briefing on Wednesday, the Foreign Office spokeswoman, Tasnim Aslam, said that the President had assured the Indian Prime Minister of full co-operation, and that action would be taken if any evidence was shared with Pakistan.
Clearly, the two countries have come a long way from the time when bomb blasts aboard buses and in other public places were a part of a long and brutal activity they carried out on the opposite side.
A living testimony of that sordid policy is convicted Indian terrorist, Manjit Singh alias Sarabjit Singh, who is currently under death sentence for having exploded bombs in Lahore, Gunjranwala and Faisalabad, killing scores of innocent people, and expects a presidential pardon on an Indian government appeal for clemency.
The worst case of terrorism involving alleged links to a Pakistan-based jehadi group, Jaish-e-Mohammad, of course, was the attack on Indian Parliament, which led to the two countries' armies standing in a confrontational posture for ten long months in 2001-02.
The current new phase of the peace process has certainly changed things for the better. Even though from time to time India has continued to urge Pakistan to stop 'cross-border infiltration', for a while it has also been acknowledging that the 'infiltration' has come down considerably. However, there are some banned jehadi groups that have re-emerged under new names, and are unhappy with President Musharraf's Kashmir policy. They have been involved in attempts on his own life.
As a matter of fact, it is not surprising if such elements assert their unwillingness to change direction and make the necessary compromises. Militant organisations do tend to become autonomous in due course, even taking on their sympathisers in violent confrontations if need be.
It is possible, therefore, that some disgruntled jehadi group based in Pakistan may well be responsible for the latest carnage in Delhi with the aim to derail the peace process. It is good to note, therefore, that Islamabad has offered its full co-operation to India in dealing with the culprits if they happen to have any connection with this country.