Jammu, May 5
Excerpts from the US State Department’s annual report on “Pattern of global terrorism” presented by US Secretary of State Collin Powell were released to mediapersons here today.
The Defence Ministry functionaries cited the report while claiming that there has been no decline in the moral and material aid that Islamabad and its agencies have been providing to militants operating in Jammu and Kashmir.
The report, as circulated by the ministry spokesman, says: “The Pakistan increased its support to Taliban and continued it to militant groups active in India held Kashmir, such as Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, some of which had been engaged in terrorism.”
“Pakistan’s military government, headed by Gen Pervez Musharraf, continued plans of previous government to give support to Kashmiri militant groups based in Pakistan. Several of these groups were responsible for attacks against civilians in India held Kashmir.”
The functionaries said it was strange that on the one hand the USA and its allies had pledged to root out terrorism in the world, and on the other continued to provide political and economic support to Pakistan.
They said Pakistan had been playing a pivotal role in fomenting and promoting terrorist activities not only in India but also in Nepal, China, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. As such, it had become imperative for those committed to end the menace of terrorism to tame Islamabad and its agencies.
They expressed fear that the US policy was to befriend Pakistan even at the cost of peace, stability and integrity of India simply to have military bases in the land of Jinnah which could help it counter the growing Chinese and Russian influence in South Asia.
A senior police officer, who has been engaged in supervising anti-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir said once Pakistan suspended military and financial assistance to the militants and sealed its borders, the government would be in a position to restore total peace and normalcy within two months.
