No let-up in India’s terror mantra

Krishna says New Delhi is concerned at ‘the growth and consolidation of militancy and terrorism in Pakistan’.

UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan-backed attacks in Kashmir are underpinning a “trust deficit” that is holding up efforts to improve ties between the neighbours, Indian Foreign Minister SM Krishna said on Wednesday.

He told the UN General Assembly that India shares international concerns about “the growth and consolidation of militancy and terrorism in Pakistan.”

The Indian minister spoke one day after his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi expressed “grave concern” to the assembly about Indian Kashmir, the bitterest source of tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals.

Krishna said Jammu and Kashmir “is the target of such Pakistan-sponsored militancy and terrorism. “Pakistan must fulfill its solemn commitment of not allowing territory under its control to be used for terrorism directed against India,” the minister declared.

“Pakistan cannot impart lessons to us on democracy and human rights,” Krishna added.

“If, however, Pakistan were to live up to its commitment not to allow use of its soil by terrorists acting against India this would significantly help reduce the trust deficit that impedes the development of better bilateral relations.”

Indian Kashmir has seen a new wave of protests since June 11, when a 17-year-old student was killed by a police teargas shell. Indian security forces have been accused of killing 107 people since then. On Tuesday, Pakistan’s foreign minister said “we strongly condemn this brutality.”

“Pakistan views the prevailing situation in Indian-occupied Kashmir with grave concern,” Qureshi said. He called on the international community “to persuade India to end its repression.”

Krishna called Qureshi’s comments “unacceptable,” in an interview with India’s NDTV news channel.

Despite their new diplomatic tussle, Krishna still invited his Pakistani counterpart to attend the Commonwealth Games which open in New Delhi this weekend, saying it would give them a chance to “continue the dialogue.”

“Mr Qureshi is most welcome to come and witness some of the Games and there again give us a chance to continue the dialogue,” Krishna told Indian news channel NDTV.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 30^th, 2010.