International - India & World   

Over 55 terrorist camps in India: Pak.

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD Aug. 18. Pakistan today alleged that India was operating more than 55 terrorist training camps to destabilise Pakistan and accused the Vajpayee Government of cavalier in rejecting the recent "cease-fire" proposal mooted by the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf.

The Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman, Masood Khan, said the biggest external threat to Pakistan's stability was from India. The persons trained in the alleged Indian terror camps were engaged in anti-Pakistan activities.

While in the past Islamabad has blamed the Indian hand for disturbances within Pakistan, it is for the first time that such a concrete charge (that India is running more than 55 terror camps) has been levelled.

It appears to be a calculated move to counter and perhaps turn on its head the Indian charges of cross border infiltration and terrorism infrastructure.

Mr. Khan chose not to answer why Islamabad had never, including the last bilateral meeting in the form of Summit at Agra, directly taken up the issue with New Delhi. He merely said that New Delhi should dismantle the camps if it was really "serious" in its pursuit of peace in South Asia.

In response to another question on the Indian reaction to the "cease-fire" proposal made by Gen. Musharraf in his interaction with Indian parliamentarians and journalists, Mr. Khan said that India had missed a "historic opportunity' towards efforts for peace in the region. "It was a very sensible proposal for resolution of Kashmir dispute but unfortunately India had rejected it in a lackadaisical manner."

Mr. Khan said, "we believe there are several terrorist training camps in India across the Line of Control and Pakistan-India border. According to our estimates there are more than 55 and they target Pakistan directly and indulge in subversive, sabotage and other anti-state activities. They also fuel and fan sectarianism. This is not a secret, the Indians know about it and we know about it."

In response to a question on situation in Kashmir he said that there was an indigenous "freedom movement" being waged in the "held" valley. "It is the Kashmiri youth which is sustaining the movement."

The spokesman rejected Indian allegations of "cross-border terrorism" and instead asked New Delhi to stop its policy of sponsoring terrorism in Indian held Kashmir. "India has to understand that Kashmir is a political problem and cannot be resolved by terrorism."

He alleged that India was the author of violence in the "held" valley. Commenting on a reported statement of the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, Richard Armitage, describing "Kashmir as a most dangerous point on earth", the spokesman said it was a perception and a reality and both Pakistan and India need to work together to change this perception.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Washington not to lift sanctions against Libya
• U.S. plans naval exercise
• Hambali: Jakarta firm on access
• 17 Maoists killed
• Over 55 terrorist camps in India: Pak.
• Pak. proposes talks on train services
• Modi hits out at NGOs
• Ethnic flavour on display at I-Day fete in U.S.
• Sun TV launched in U.K.

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu