Date:17/04/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/04/17/stories/2003041706231100.htm

National

India dismisses Pak. charge

New Delhi April16. Dismissing the Pakistan Foreign Minister, Khursheed Mehmood Kasuri's, attack against it, India today dubbed Pakistan as the ``most irresponsible country'', accusing it of continuing to foment violence and sponsoring terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and other parts.

``They (Pakistan) continue to foment violence in India and sponsor terrorism against it. Is that being responsible? In fact, I would say that Pakistan is probably the most irresponsible country in the world,'' the Foreign Secretary, Knawal Sibal, told a television channel.

Mr. Kasuri had warned India of massive retaliation if it tried to launch a pre-emptive strike on Pakistan, contending that Islamabad had a more advance missile programme than New Delhi.

He also described as ``irresponsible'' the comments made by the External Affairs Minister, Yashwant Sinha, that there was a stronger case for military action against Pakistan than Iraq if the criteria for it was having weapons of mass destruction, export of terrorism and absence of democracy.

Hitting back, Mr. Sibal said Islamabad was irresponsible to its own people because it has not been able to give them democracy, irresponsible to the region because it has blocked normal progress, peace and stability through its policies. — PTI