M A I N   N E W S

Mumbai Offensive
Stop whipping up war frenzy, Pranab to Pak
Subhrangshu Gupta & PTI
Tribune News Service

Kolkata, December 27
In a blunt message to Pakistan, the External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee today said Islamabad should stop creating a war hysteria to divert attention from the all-important issue of terrorism. “They should now seriously think about curbing terror and refrain from harping on war,” said Pranab during a function organised by the Parsee Association at Behrampore in Murshidabad district.

The Minister demanded that Islamabad should prove its sincerity and seriousness by handing over all the dreaded 20 terrorists, including Masood Azhar, to India. “We have already given them concrete and specific evidence about the involvement of the Pakistan-sponsored terrorists in the Mumbai attack. But it was surprising that they are still asking for proof,” said Mukherjee.

A lot of issues are being raised in relation to the Mumbai terror attack, he said, adding “the real crisis facing us is not war but terrorism.” “The issue is how to prevent terrorism — how to direct the international community to face the terrorist challenge and eliminate terrorism from the face of the world,” the Minister added. The fight against terrorism, he said, was not directed at any country, nation or religion.

“The issue is how to prevent terrorism and against the mentality which gives birth to terrorism, and against the set-up that aids terror,” Mukherjee said, adding that he has already apprised USA, Britain, China and other nations about Pakistan’s involvement in Mumbai incident. “These countries should exert pressure on Pakistan to take firm action against the perpetrators of Mumbai attack,” asserted the Minister.

Meanwhile, a red alert was sounded in the entire state following threat of attacks by terrorists in the region. State home secretary AM Chakraborty said the government has received a communiqué from the Home Ministry that some terrorist groups, active in the area, could strike at several places in Darjeeling and Duars in the coming days.

“The police has been told to take extreme precautionary measures and security has been beefed up at important installations, added Chakraborty, urging the public to come forward to help the police and administration thwart the nefarious designs of anti-national elements.