Author:
Publications: The Navhind Times
Dated: September 21, 2001
New Delhi, Sept 20(PTI): Hitting
back at the Pakistan President, General Pervez Musharraf, for his anti-India
tirade, the External Affairs Minister Mr. Jaswant Singh, today charged
Islamabad with continuing support to cross-border terrorism while proclaiming
support to global fight against the menace.
A day after Gen Musharraf asked
India to 'lay off' and questioned its interest in Afghanistan, Mr. Singh
expressed confidence that the US will take into account Pakistan's support
and encouragement to cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and its
strong linkages with Taliban in Afghanistan.
The External Affairs Minister rejected
Gen Musharraf's charge that New Delhi was stirring up anti-Islamic feelings
and asserted that the fight was against global terrorism which has entered
a "testing phase" and not over Indo-Pak relations. Referring to the Pakistan
President's 'lay off' remarks, he shot back "lay off from what" and added
the Pakistani military ruler was catering to the domestic audience.
"I do not want to further compound
the difficulties he faces domestically."
Accusing Pakistan of being responsible
for the "birth, growth and nurturing" of Taliban, Mr. Singh said he was
happy that its child was now "face to face" as an adversary. He said the
Taliban would not have existed without Pakistan's support to it in several
respects including military, economic and training.
On the US President, Mr. George
W Bush's remarks on Indo-Pak ties, he said New Delhi backed Washington's
stand of shaking terrorism loose from sponsoring states.
Mr. Singh said India would welcome
a "change of heart" by Pakistan which has been indulging in "compulsive
and perpetual hostility" against it.
He said it remained to be seen whether
Pakistan's "sudden conversion and arrival into the global concert of nations
standing up against terrorism" was merely a declaration of intent or would
be translated into action.
To a question, the minister confirmed
that the Taliban chief, Mulla Mohammed Omar, has issued an "appeal" to
all terrorist groups currently operating in Jammu and Kashmir to quickly
move out to Afghanistan to assist the militia against impending American
military strikes.
He said there was "relative quiet"
on the line of control between India and Pakistan and that there was no
"extraordinary movement of forces from either country."
Mr. Singh regretted that infiltration
was continuing from across the border but said: "We are able to thwart
such attempts."
About his visit to the US, the minister
said this will be either by month-end or early next month for consultations
with the leaders there on measures to fight global terrorism. Commenting
on the military action being planned by the US in response to the terrorist
attacks in New York and Washington, Mr. Singh said even the Bush administration
has made it clear that it could not be indiscriminate bombing anywhere
and everywhere and has to be on select objectives and targets and against
harbourers and perpetrators of the horrific crime.
To a question, he said he did not
see any involvement of Iraq in the terrorist attacks against the US.
