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| Singh accuses Pak agencies of involvement |
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Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Says Islamabad using terrorism as an instrument of state policy
NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh accused Pakistan on Tuesday of acting irresponsibly, saying November’s Mumbai attacks must have had support from some of its official agencies and that Islamabad was using terrorism as an “instrument of state policy.”
Singh said investigations, including by intelligence agencies from some of the foreign countries whose nationals were killed in the attacks, had also suggested official complicity. In his most forceful speech on the subject, Singh stopped just short of accusing Islamabad of directly aiding the gunmen. “There is enough evidence to show that, given the sophistication and military precision of the attack, it must have had the support of some official agencies in Pakistan,” he said.
“Unfortunately, we cannot choose our neighbours, and some countries like Pakistan have in the past encouraged and given sanctuary to terrorists and other forces who are antagonistic to India,” he added.
Speaking at a conference of chief ministers of Indian states on internal security, the prime minister also said that cross-border infiltrations from Pakistan in the disputed Kashmir region had not stopped.
“The governments in some of our neighbouring countries are very fragile in nature. The more fragile a government, the more it tends to act in an irresponsible fashion,” Singh said. The prime minister said the Mumbai attacks were designed to strike India’s economic and security interests, and were “clearly carried out” by the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Westerners were particularly targeted during the attacks to “convey an impression that India was unsafe as a destination for the West and Western investments,” Singh told the chief ministers.
“Today even as Pakistan engages in whipping up war hysteria, our nation remains steadfastly united and if anything, the process of national consolidation is becoming stronger.” Singh was highly critical of how Pakistan has handled the investigations into recent attacks, indicating Pakistan has been unwilling — or perhaps unable — to crack down on terrorists operating on its soil.
Menon briefs envoys
NEW DELHI: Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon briefed about fifty envoys from Europe, Middle East, Africa and Latin America on the Mumbai attacks on Tuesday. On Monday, Menon had briefed 15 envoys from different countries, including the US, the UK, Israel and France. Media reports said he shared the information with them which was given to Pakistan on Monday.
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CJ says good governance being compromised
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NA-55 by-polls
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Point scoring be avoided in Rashid attack case: Shahbaz
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Afghan unrest kills US, French soldiers
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Briefs...
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