Date:01/01/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/01/01/stories/2008010156131200.htm

National

India ready to give all help to Pakistan: Jaiswal

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: Union Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal has said that India is willing to give all help to Pakistan in the latter’s hour of crisis following the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

Answering questions after reviewing a passing out parade at the National Industrial Security Academy (NISA) here on Monday, Mr. Jaiswal said “we will give all help if Pakistan seeks it from us because we are concerned about the unrest in the neighbourhood.”

Sensitive

At the same time, the Minister admitted that no country could directly interfere in the internal crisis of Pakistan. It was for Pakistan to manage its affairs. But India was not happy with whatever was happening in that country. India was getting impatient with deteriorating conditions in Pakistan. The situation appeared sensitive.

Asked if India was prepared to face the spill-over effect of Pakistan crisis, Mr. Jaiswal said “we are not ruling out stray incidents in our land. We are geared to face any situation. If some country (Pakistan) wants to threaten us, we will not allow ourselves to be threatened.”

On the Naxalite problem, he hoped that the more affected States of Chattisgarh, Jharkhand and Bihar followed the Andhra Pradesh model of tackling the menace.

Earlier, the Minister reviewed the passing out parade by 210 trainee Sub-Inspectors of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).

Director General of CISF Ranjit Kumar Das spoke. Director of NISA Anurag Sharma was present. Two trainees Puspha and Prodeep Kumar Nando received the all round best award.