Pak building network of militants: Advani
White paper on ISI in current session likely

AIZAWL, Dec 12 (PTI) — The Union Home Minister Mr L.K. Advani, today said Pakistan was trying to build network of militant groups in India as part of its ‘proxy war’ with the country and asked the international community to help end state-sponsored terrorism.

Infiltration in some North-Eastern states had added to the problem of internal security, Mr Advani told reporters after inaugurating Lengpui Airport near here.

"The infiltration is part of the (Pakistani) design," he said.

On the steps being taken to counter the ISI ‘designs’ he said the Centre was interacting with the states in this regard.

The newly-constituted standing committee of the Inter-State Council would discuss the issue on December 19. The council itself would meet next month, the Home Minister said.

Mr Advani later told newsmen in Calcutta that there should be efforts by the international community to stop state-sponsored terrorism.

Describing Mizoram as a model of peace, he said the state was an example in the turbulent North-East of how peace and development could go hand-in-hand. Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya were also peaceful despite stray incidents, he said.

CALCUTTA: The government is likely to table a White Paper on ISI activities in the country in the current session of Parliament, Mr Advani said here today.

"The ISI base is not the right word. There are individuals acting on behalf of the ISI and they have been working for over the past 15 years throughout the country", Mr Advani told reporters during a brief stopover here on his way to Aizawl.

He, however, declined to comment whether any politician was involved in the ISI activities.

Mr Advani said the government was ready to counter the divisive activities of the ISI and had already achieved a "major success" in combating these.

Referring to the post of Deputy Speaker in Parliament, he said Mr P.M. Sayeed was a respected man. The Deputy Speaker was always chosen from the Opposition and the Speaker from the ruling party.

But for the nomination of the Speaker, things were unfortunately not very smooth, he said.

Mr Advani said the Centre had made significant achievements in many areas. The nuclear blasts at Pokhran, the solution to the Cauvery waters dispute and an improvement in the Jammu and Kashmir situation were some of the achievements.