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Pakistan continues to train militants: Fernandes

Defence Minister George Fernandes on Saturday charged Pakistan with continuing to impart training to militants, even as he indicated a new multi-faceted strategy to counter terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.

"There are scores of these training camps and there is no evidence that they have been shut down," Fernandes said in an interview to the Star News.

These comments came after reports started pouring in the media that Pakistan had ordered temporary closure of these camps after the September 11 attacks at the World Trade Centre and Pentagon.

"I don't have any reason to believe that there is any reduction in their efforts to train, equip and export militants to India," Fernandes said.

Fernandes said the government was working on a strategy that would be "far more effective" than the present one.

"The only way to deal with militants is to get rid of them. We are working on a strategy that will enable us to be far more effective than we have been so far. The aim is to clear the valley of any kind of terrorist activity," he said.

PTI

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