The Hindu : Sinha blames Pak. mission in Dhaka

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 28, 2002

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Sinha blames Pak. mission in Dhaka

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI NOV. 27. The External Affairs Minister, Yashwant Sinha, said today that the Pakistan mission in Dhaka had become the "nerve-centre'' of ISI activities encouraging terrorism in India.

"The Government is fully aware that the Pakistani mission in Dhaka is the nerve-centre of the ISI activities which encourages terrorism, illegal drug trafficking and is also involved in the counterfeit currency racket in our country,'' he said.

While replying to a short notice question in the Lok Sabha, raised by Shyama Singh of the Congress on ISI and Al-Qaeda activities in Bangladesh, Mr. Sinha said Pakistan was misusing territories of other countries for activities inimical to India's interests.

"Some Al-Qaeda elements have taken shelter in Bangladesh. Though foreign media has reported such instances, our own sources have also confirmed many of these reports,'' he told the House.

He said that major insurgent groups had set up training camps along the Indo-Bangladesh border. "We have taken up the issue at the highest level with the Bangladesh Government. We have also got assurance from Bangladesh that its territory would not be used for anti-India activities,'' he said.

Mr. Sinha informed the Lok Sabha that the Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka had also conveyed India's concern over shelter being given to anti-India elements there.

He said that all neighbouring Governments, including those in Bhutan and Nepal, had assured India that they would not allow anti-India activities from their territories.

India has been able to inform the world community, including the U.S., about the activities of Pakistan, which was now being held responsible by the global community for promoting cross-border terrorism in India.

The Pakistani President, Pervez Musharraf, has given an assurance to the international community that he would not allow his country's soil to be used for promoting terrorism in any part of the world.

"We have reasons to believe his assurance,'' he said.

However, Mr. Sinha said there was no evidence that firm attempts were being made by Islamabad to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan. _tag>In response to a question by the Trinamool Congress leader, Mamata Banerjee, about counterfeit currency being pumped into North Bengal and the North-East, Mr. Sinha said that drug trafficking and fake currency were "favourite instruments'' of terrorist outfits.

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