Onus is on Pakistan: Advani

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, DEC. 28. The Centre has indicated in reasonably clear terms that though it is no longer insisting on a complete end to ``cross-border'' terrorism before it can talk to Pakistan, it believes the onus is on Islamabad to rein in foreign militant outfits such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba, operating out of Pakistani soil. This was stated in unequivocal terms by the Home Minister, Mr. L. K. Advani, while addressing the jawans and officers of the Central Reserve Police Force this morning.

In his remarks which were meant for audience beyond the police officials, Mr. Advani said ``Pakistan says we cannot do anything about these foreign militant outfits. But nobody can trust this statement''. Asserting that these groups enjoy financial, logistical and other support from the ISI, he said ``if Islamabad wants, killings by these militant outfits can end''.

Making a linkage between terrorism and resumption of the dialogue with Pakistan, Mr. Advani said that while it was ready to talk with Islamabad, it must see to it that terrorism ended. ``If it wants, it can do it (end the terrorists' activities).'' He acknowledged that the incidents of cross-border infiltration as well as firing along the Line of Control had come down quite noticeably, he did point out that there was no slowing down of the foreign militants' killing of innocent people. The Red Fort incident, according to Mr. Advani, was just a symbolic act of defiance.

He said the international community no longer believed that the militants were a home-grown phenomenon, and the world recognised that the violence in Jammu and Kashmir was being aided and abetted by Pakistan. He gave his Government a pat on the back for bringing this to the attention of the world community in a convincing manner, and warned Pakistan that the responsible Governments around the world were convinced of the correctness of the Government of India's argument that the talks would not lead to any resolution unless Islamabad stopped sponsoring terrorism as an instrument of state policy in Jammu and Kashmir.

Giving expression to ``keeping our fingers crossed'' attitude within the Vajpayee Government, Mr. Advani recalled the bitter history of the Lahore bus yatra initiative, and obliquely warned Pakistan that it would be committing a grave mistake if it thought that a similar advantage could be taken of the Prime Minister's ``Ramzan ceasefire'' initiative.

As far as Mr. Advani is concerned there is already a decisive change in the public mood in Jammu and Kashmir, and that the youth were no longer as enamored as they once were of militancy. That is why, according to Mr. Advani, Pakistan has come to depend more and more on foreign militants.

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