Pakistan not acting tough on terror camps operating from its soil: Antony
By ANIWednesday, March 17, 2010
VASCO - Defence Minister A K Antony on Wednesday alleged that Pakistan is not acting tough on terror camps operating from its soil.
“Almost all the terror camps operating across the border are still active. All of them are active and to my knowledge till now, Pakistan has not taken any serious steps to dismantle or destroy these camps,” said Antony on the sidelines of the launch of Indian Coast Guard’s offshore patrol vessel (OPV) Vishwast.
Antony, however, said India would continue the dialogue with Pakistan and do it’s utmost to improve relations with the country, but did not expect any miracles from the talks.
“From our side we will explore all avenues to improve our relations with Pakistan. That’s why the talks were there. But I don’t expect miracles,” he added.
India also accused Pakistan of cross-border firing to help militants cross the heavily militarized frontier to join a 20-year revolt in its only Muslim-majority region.
Pakistan, however, says it only gives moral support.
“Situation in Kashmir is becoming more and more normal. Normalcy is returning in Jammu and Kashmir. Incidents of violence are now less compared to the olden days. People are becoming more confident,” said Antony.
“That is a situation forces inimical to India cannot tolerate. Since normalcy is coming to fast, returning fast to Kashmir infiltration was increasing,” he added.
India had broken off official talks after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, saying dialogue could resume only if Pakistan acted against militants on its soil.
In the first such effort of reconciliation after the Mumbai attacks, the foreign secretaries of the two Asian neighbours had met for talks last month.
Despite talks between the two neighbours during Pakistani Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir”s visit to India, nothing fruitful came out and the two sides ended the interaction with a pledge to keep in touch”, signalling that relations between the nuclear-armed rivals remain frosty. (ANI)
