Qureshi accuses India of aiding insurgents

[LahoreEstate]

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has accused India of supporting insurgents in Pakistan.

Speaking to German news agency DPA, Mr Qureshi claimed that Pakistan was ‘compiling hard evidence of India’s involvement and interference in Balochistan and Fata’.

Pakistani military and civilian leaders have repeatedly alleged that India has been supporting the Taliban in Pakistan.

‘India should refrain from such nefarious activities,’ said Mr Qureshi, speaking of India’s alleged support of militants.

‘Unless (India) dispenses with its visceral animosity towards Pakistan, attaining viable peace and security in South Asia will be even more elusive,’ he added.

The statement came two weeks after Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira and army spokesman Maj-Gen Athar Abbas told reporters that Pakistan had concrete evidence of Indian involvement in the South Waziristan militancy.

Gen Abbas said a huge quantity of Indian arms and ammunition, medical equipment and medicines used by Taliban militants had been recovered from the restive district.

The foreign minister complained that India was dragging its feet over resuming the peace dialogue even though his country was prosecuting the seven Lashkar-i-Taiba members behind the Mumbai massacre.

India claims that it stopped the talks because of the Mumbai attack. The trial against them ‘has now begun and we are pursuing it more vigorously’, Mr Qureshi said.

‘It is a very complex trial having both internal and external dimensions.’

As the trial goes on, New Delhi should support Islamabad in its efforts against terrorists that have killed thousands of people in several dozen suicide bombings and other strikes across Pakistan, he said.

‘We believe that sustained engagement and results-oriented dialogue is necessary,’ he said.

‘Breakdown of dialogue only works to the advantage of those who do not want to see peace in the region. There is no other alternative. It is for India to respond and reciprocate.

‘Pakistan stands ready to resume the Composite Dialogue anytime and make lasting peace with India.’ — Agencies

http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn...ents-hh-01