New Delhi, March 12: Home minister P. Chidambaram and Pakistan high commissioner Shahid Malik were engaged in an unusual exchange of words here on Friday, with Mr Chidambaram stating that all militant outfits across the border were supported by
Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence, and the envoy denying any involvement of Pakistani state actors in acts of terrorism against India.
Mr Chidambaram, who chose not to make any mention of Pakistan in his opening remarks at the India Today Conclave, voiced New Delhi’s concerns over Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in the question-answer session.
“It is no secret that every militant organisation in Pakistan is supported by the ISI,” he said while referring to the Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and some other groups operating in that country.
In a bid to counter the charge, the Pakistan high commissioner raised the issue of alleged Indian involvement in Balochistan and about the activities of Indian consulates in Afghanistan. Islamabad has alleged that the Indian consulates were stirring up trouble for Pakistan, a charge which is denied by India.
“There are no state actors involved in any act detrimental to the interests of India,” Mr Malik said.
Mr Chidambaram said he had hoped not to enter into a public debate with the envoy, who was only stating his government’s position, but wanted to put their assertion to the test. He said Pakistan should give voice samples of the suspects on the list provided by India, and match them with the voice transcripts of the 26/11 handlers in a neutral country to determine whether they are indeed state actors or not.
Asked how India would respond if there was another terror attack on the lines of 26/11, Mr Chidambaram said if it was established with a reasonable degree of certainty that the attacks originated from Pakistani soil, “then we will respond swiftly and decisively”.
He made it clear that “war is not an option”; therefore the two countries, both nuclear powers, “must talk when we can”, while at other times “we have to be vigilant”.
“We cannot change our neighbour”, Mr Chidambaram said, adding that Pakistan has been a “very difficult neighbour from 1947”.
Mr Chidambaram indicated there may be another around of talks between foreign secretary Nirupama Rao and her Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir. There is speculation that this might take place later this month.
For his part, the Pakistan high commissioner contended it was Ms Rao who had telephoned the Pakistan foreign secretary about talks. “We hoped something positive will come out of it and we welcomed the opportunity”, he said.
“We repeatedly asked India to share with us real-time information on terrorism,” Mr Malik said, in an apparent reference to Pakistan’s claim that the 10 dossiers provided by India contained only “literature” and nothing concrete for it to act upon.
Age Correspondent
With agency inputs
