'The Culpability Of Pakistan Is All Too Clear'

Navtej Sarna: We have already strongly condemned the senseless and brutal killing of a large number of innocent men, womenand children in Nadimarg on the night of March 23, which is the National Day of Pakistan. No cause, noreligion, no ideology, no so-called struggle justifies such inhuman acts. Those involved in such massacres arecriminals and mercenaries motivated by the lowliest impulses and performing their murderous deeds at thebehest of others.

The pattern, methodology and the nature of targets of these acts of terror areall too familiar and therefore the culpability of Pakistan is all too clear. The global war against terrorismcan only be won when it is pursued without double standards and terrorism is eradicated wherever it exists,without being influenced by short term political and other considerations.

The combat against international terrorism is ill-served if threats in somecases are met with military means and in others with calls for restraint and dialogue . The clarity of thecommitment of the international community to combat terrorism requires a coherent and principled approach. Theepicentre of international terrorism that exists in our neighbourhood, and the infrastructure of support andsponsorship of cross-border terrorism must be completely dismantled. We are
determined to face this challenge with strength, determination and resolve.

Besides that I wanted to brief you on another matter, the issue of Sikh youthbeing kept in custody in Pakistani prison. The External Affairs Minister has received letters of appeal fromconcerned parties, other Ministers as well as the President of the Bhai Mardana Yadgari Kirtan Darbar Society(R) and concern had been expressed in these letters that the Sikh youth were being coerced to convert to Islamby Pakistani jail authorities. The matter was taken up with the High Commission of Pakistan on January 31,2003 and again on February 20. The External Affairs Minister has now replied to the letters that he hasreceived accordingly.

In your statement you mentioned that the massacre in J &K happened on Pakistan National Day. Are wesaying that Pakistan Government is directly involved in this?

What we have said is all too clear and the culpability of Pakistan is anevidence given the pattern, methodology, nature of targets and our experience of similar acts of gruesomeviolence against women and children in the past. The question of timing of event has to be addressed to theperpetrators of the event. Any timing for such an event would be unfortunate and terrible.

Do we have any fresh evidence to suggest the culpability of Pakistan in this terrible act?

The Government has been considering this issue for the last two days. There hasbeen on the spot assessment by very senior leaders, by the Deputy Prime Minister of India. Obviously theGovernment takes all its assessments into consideration but the condemnation of the act has been there rightfrom the beginning. It is also been clear that this terrorist activity has been going on because of thesponsorship from Pakistan. This has been mentioned by different people in different ways over the last twodays.

Are we considering diplomatic sanctions against Pakistan?

I wouldn’t like to indulge in guess work. I have given you our reaction tothe events as of today.

Direct involvement of Pakistan…

Well the culpability of Pakistan in the sponsorship of terrorism is quite clearand it has been known to us. There has been an assessment of on the ground realities as they exist. Thediscussions with the people there, the nature of the attack, the kind of victims that have been chosen, thesehave all been assessed.

What is India’s policy to tackle this menace? We have been issuing lot of statements on this. But nothingseems to happening on the ground?

You are right to the point that enough is not happening and there has been nochange on the ground realities as far as Pakistan’s sponsorship of terrorists is concerned despitestatements by them to the contrary. I would like to refer you to some of the statements made by the DPMyesterday. As far as we are concerned we would continue to battle terrorism with all the determination andresolve that we have.

You said that there cannot be double standard in dealing with terrorism. In some case through militarymeans and in other through dialogue and restraint. Does that mean India would also...

What I am saying is that the threat of international terrorism and theperpetration of international terrorism has to be met in a principled, uniform manner. It does not havedifferent memories in different cases and it has to be met with all our determination and there cannot bedouble standard in treating terrorism.

 I would not like to take guesses again. What I have said is very clear and I wouldn’t like toparaphrase the statement any further.

By saying that there cannot be double standard in fighting international terrorism … Are we criticalabout the present operation in Iraq?

What we are being critical of is the constant and unabated perpetration ofterror against the people of India.

Did we issue notice in advance about our missile test?

As far as I am aware a NOTAM was issue yesterday that is customarily issued insuch cases.

Pakistan has said that India never notified its missile test in advance…

NOTAM is a customary thing, the obligatory thing which is issued in such cases.The rest is all confidence building measures. The confidence building measure which will really have anymeaning is for Pakistan to end its senseless perpetration of terrorism against India.

How many Sikh youth are there under Pakistani custody?

I understand there are 22 of them. Mostly in Quetta and some in Lahore.

For how long?

They have been there for varying periods upto and more than a year.

You have been saying that terrorism cannot be fought with double standard for two successive days. Are wereferring to the present military operation in Iraq by the US and the UK? Are we taking up this issue in otherforum as well?

We have mentioned double standard over last two days because just three daysago this horrible act of terrorist violence has taken place and naturally our concern is with the constantviolence that goes on and the inability and lack of willingness on Pakistan’s part to bring this to apermanent end.

Would you also say that it is the lack of interest by the international community especially by the countrywhich is involved in military operation in Iraq?

It is for the international community to implement its commitment to endterrorism all over the globe and to tell Pakistan to live up to its commitment that it has made to theinternational community. As far as India is concerned India is determined to fully defend the interests of ourcitizens against terrorism and we have been doing so for more than 15 years.

Are we assessing that India-Pakistan relations is slipping back to…

I would leave assessments to you. I am giving you our assessment of the factson the ground. Certainly relationships cannot be seen to be mending when the sponsorship of terrorism leads togruesome murder of men, women and children.