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Pak steps up sponsorship of cross-border terrorism: MEA report

Pakistan has stepped up sponsorship of cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of the country by "qualitative improvement" in weapons, communication equipment and training given to Pakistan-based terrorist groups such as Jaish-e-Muhammed, Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Harkat-ul Mujahideen.

There has also been increased support by Islamabad to infiltration attempts by such groups, according to annual report of the External Affairs Ministry.

Pakistan, the report said, has persistently sought to sabotage any prospect of peace in J&K whenever initiatives in this regard were taken.

The July unilateral ceasefire announcement by the Hizbul Mujahideen was sabotaged through enhanced violence and massacres of civilians in the state in August.

The report said the prime minister's Ramzan ceasefire announcement was "sought to be eroded through an escalation of violence" which included attacks by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists on the Red Fort in New Delhi and the Srinagar airport, an aborted assassination attempt on J&K chief minister and threats to attack the office of the prime minister, it said.

India maintained its desire to resume the composite dialogue process initiated by it in 1998 to build confidence and trust and put in place a stable structure of cooperation besides addressing all outstanding issues between the two countries, it said.

India has made it clear that an "appropriate environment" free from terrorism and propaganda "is an obvious requirement" for the resumption of the stalled dialogue.

"Pakistan took no action to facilitate such an environment," the report pointed out.

New Delhi has stuck to its line that India remained committed to establishing a relationship of peace, friendship and cooperation with Pakistan.

To this end, India has repeatedly called on Pakistan to abandon its compulsive hostility and its consistent but futile endeavour to damage India's interests and denigrate its reputation in the international community.

India has also called upon Pakistan to adhere to the Shimla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration, which are the cornerstones of India-Pakistan relations.

"However, Pakistan continued to pursue its negative policy, especially manifested in its sponsorship of cross- border terrorism and its vicious anti-India propaganda," the report said.

It noted that functional level contacts between the Indian and Pakistani governments as well as people-to-people contacts between the two countries, have continued.

The Director Generals of Military Operations of both armies have maintained weekly contacts and officials from Border Security Force and Pakistani Rangers met regularly to settle border management issues, it observed.

The report said the Samjhauta Express train and the Delhi-Lahore bus service had continued uninterrupted and fishermen, who inadvertently strayed into each other's territorial waters, had been released at regular intervals.

In December last year, Pakistan announced a policy of "maximum restraint" along the Indo-Pak border by bringing down the level of its unprovoked firing and claiming to withdraw some of its troops.

"But it continues to support cross-border infiltration and terrorist operations in India," it observed adding "these self-serving measures did not address India's concerns relating to cross-border terrorism being sponsored by Pakistan.

It said last year the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee did not send any Sikh jathas to Pakistan in protest against the formation of the Pakistan Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee headed by a former ISI chief. However, some private jathas visited Pakistan to celebrate various Sikh religious functions.

"The opportunity was availed by the Pakistan government to attempt to indoctrinate the pilgrims against India," it said.

A jatha of Hindu pilgrims from Shadani Darbar visiting Hayat Patafi in Sindh cut short its visit in protest against Pakistanis backtracking on their visit to Hinglaj temple and the restrictions imposed on the jatha's movements, it noted.

PTI

The Kashmir Cease-Fire: The Complete Coverage

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